Bloodline
by Angie-san
Summary: KK AU. Kaoru's family has a secret, one that will threaten to destroy all she holds dear. Originally completed 11/29/05. Revised 6/5/11.
1. Prologue Beginnings

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

**Author's Note** - Hi everyone. This is my first attempt at a full blown fic so please be gentle but I do love feedback. Also, please read with an open mind. I have pretty much thrown out the Kyoto arc as written by Nobuhiro Watsuki and created my own arc where Kaoru is the main character, I hope that doesn't discourage you from reading this. Also just to warn you, you will find some relationships different than what's in the manga and few other things have been changed to fit the storyline even if it doesn't necessarily fit the time it is set. Nothing drastic but I figured I should forewarn you.

This chapter has no mention of the Rurouni Kenshin characters but will instead set the stage for future chapters.

**A/N June 6, 2011** - Hello all. Welcome to the revised version of Bloodline. For those of you who have read this story before you will find very little has been changed save the wording/grammer and the few additions that were added to make it more fleshed out in an attempt to bring it up to par with say... Forever Mine. It's not quite up to what I can do now but I was afraid I'd lose too much if I tried to do that. Also I wish to give my beta, MelyCat, a heartfelt THANK YOU! for getting this revision started. If it wasn't for her reread and tweaking I never would have gotten the gumption to go at it myself when she was done and fit everything to her wonderful additions.

So with all that said, on to the improved Bloodline, hope you like it.

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Prologue – Beginnings

20 September 1600

A cool breeze wafted through the open window causing Akiko's golden hair to flutter gently across her face, several strands tickling her nose as they played across her pale features. Tucking the wayward locks behind her ear, she sat back from the low table as the twinges of pain gained strength across her protruding belly. Despite the ache she carefully dabbed the ink dry on the rice paper with a soft cloth before rolling it up into a narrow scroll. Tying the missive with one of her favorite hair ribbons, Akiko placed it in a small wooden box sitting open beside her. Gently closing the lid securely she ran her fingers lovingly across the name carved into the wood, hoping she would have the chance to see the one whose name was etched so deeply into the smooth surface.

"It's almost time for you to come, little one. I hope your life will not be as hard as mine." She whispered into the darkened room as single tear escaped her sapphire eyes.

Moving to the open window, Akiko leaned out, letting the wind dry the wetness from her cheeks as she inhaled the scent of decay that lingered lightly in the air. Thoughts of all that had happened since she had been cast out into this cruel world passed agonizingly through her mind as she gazed up at the full moon.

"All that I love has been taken from me," she said softly into the wind as she wrapped her arms protectively around her belly, "everything but you, little one. And I fear that I will not survive your birth, leaving you with no one to help you master what is within you." Another tear slid slowly down her cheek. "I hope what I have written will make it easier for you to handle what has been given to you, but please heed my warning or you will lose all that you hold dear...as I have. Your father lies dead on the battlefield at Sekigahara, the gift I had given him stolen by the ones who cast me out. I wish you could have met him, he was a good man whose only mistake was loving me. Had I not given him a second chance he would have died a long time ago and you would not be here." Soothing away her contractions gently with her palms, she whispered sadly, "All that has happened and will happen is because of my selfishness and now you, and all those who will come after you, will pay the price...I'm sorry, little one, but I couldn't give him up."

Tears began flowing steadily down her cheeks as the labor pains intensified; still the ache in her heart surpassed the torment wracking her body. Turning from the window she padded to the shoji door and slowly slid it open to summon the village miko who had been waiting outside.

"I think she is ready to come, Hisayo." Akiko said, gasping as a sharp contraction hit her.

"Hai, Akiko-sama, please lie down while I ready everything." The older woman answered, bustling off to collect all she needed for the imminent birth.

Hours later in the growing light of dawn that penetrated the room, a small wail filled the silence as a shimmering golden radiance enveloped all within.

"She's beautiful, Akiko-sama," Hisayo said, smiling as she handed the crying babe to the exhausted mother. Her dark eyes noticing the bright golden highlights in the baby's raven hair, shimmering in the weak morning glow.

Akiko cradled her daughter in her arms, hugging her close to her heart as she ran a finger down her soft skin. "I'm glad I got to see you, little one." She murmured with a loving smile on her pale, almost bloodless lips. Turning pain-filled eyes to Hisayo she asked, "Will you take care of her for me, my friend?"

As tears came to her eyes, Hisayo nodded. "As if she was one of my own. Do not worry, Akiko-sama, she will be loved and I will do all I can to help her."

Sighing with relief Akiko indicated the small wooden box still on the table with weak gesture. "Please, give her that to her when she is old enough, what is within will help her through the difficult times ahead of her. " She paused as she caught her uneven breath, her remaining strength rapidly dwindling. "Tell her to pass it on to her own daughter when the time comes, because what is within can never be forgotten or those of my line will be left powerless against those who would take their freedom."

Nodding as tears streamed down her face Hisayo asked, "What will you name her?"

"Aiko...her name is Aiko." Akiko whispered as her eyes slid closed, slipping quietly from the world leaving behind a legacy of pain and sacrifice that would one day threaten to destroy all a spirited young woman held dear.


	2. Memories

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

Chapter 1 – Memories

11 May 1878

The early morning sunlight crept along the polished hardwood floors of the Kamiya Dojo. In one bedroom a single bright ray seemed especially determined to inch its way up the sleeping form of a woman curled into ball in the center of her futon. Gradually it illuminated her delicate features, drawing bright golden highlights out of hiding in her raven hair. The radiant effect giving her the look of an angel. A growl emanating from deep within the slumbering figure shattered the saintly illusion as she rolled over and buried her head under the silky, soft blanket covering her.

'Not yet... It can't be time to get up already', Kaoru thought fuzzily, burrowing deeper into her blanket. She flung an arm across her eyes to block out the annoying daylight and tried to recapture the pleasant dream that had been so rudely interrupted by the intruding sun. With sleepy defiance she fought consciousness for several more minutes before finally admitting defeat and, growling again for good measure, rose slowly into a sitting position. One hand lifted to rub her eyes in effort to dispel the spots dancing behind her eyelids as she yawned then blinked to bring the room into focus. With grudging reluctance she rose from the futon to pad over to the chest in a corner of her room and retrieve her hakama and gi. If she had to be awake she might as well drag Yahiko out of bed and get him practicing. The thought rejuvenated her from drowsy thoughts and an evil grin formed on her face as she dressed, plotting ways she could yank the little freeloader from his own blissful dreams.

Chuckling to herself as she settled on her plan of attack, Kaoru proceeded to fold up her futon, leaving it to lie neatly in the center of her room. Task completed, she slid the shoji door open and tiptoed silently out into the hallway, stealthily drawing near Yahiko's closed door. She paused briefly, readying herself. Drawing in a lungful of air, she shoved open the door with a crash and shouted "Yahiko...FIRE!"

Fully expecting to see him shoot out of bed with his hair sticking out in all directions, she was slightly chagrined to see his own neatly folded futon in the middle of the obviously empty room. Wondering where he could have gone so early in the morning she headed for the kitchen, looking for Sano or Kenshin to see if maybe they knew. A little knot of concern formed in her chest at the thought that something might have happened to the boy. Reaching the kitchen Kaoru momentarily forgot why she was there as she watched Kenshin fix breakfast. The opportunity to admire his graceful movements as the redhead glided around the kitchen was too much to pass up. So intent was she on her perusal and the feelings it generated that she didn't notice right away when he turned to look at her.

"Good morning, Kaoru-dono."

Shocked out of her thoughts, Kaoru locked eyes with Kenshin and realized she had been caught. Lowering her face to hide her instantly blazing cheeks she stared at the floor, finding the grain of the wood far less humiliating than his knowing look.

Flashing a grin at her lowered head, Kenshin asked, "Are you alright? Your face is a little flushed, are you feeling ill?"

"N...No, I'm fine," Kaoru stammered, scuffing her foot against the floor. Her mind scrambled for a distraction and recalled her initial purpose, "Ah, have you seen Yahiko this morning?"

"Hai, he left a little while ago to go to the Akabeko. He said he needed to help Tae and Tsubame today to pay for the dishes he broke last time he and Sano were there. "

"Oh... Ok...well, I guess I'll go practice then." Kaoru turned and rushed out of the kitchen, embarrassment still raging through her at the fact that Kenshin had probably seen her feelings written all over her face.

Stopping to lean against the wall she rubbed her forehead with the heel of her hand. 'Good one, Kaoru. It's only been six months since you asked him to stay and in those six months you've managed to fall in love with the baka, too bad he doesn't feel the same way', she thought with a wry smile. 'And now he knows how you feel, or at least he can guess by the lovesick teenager expression you must have had on your face.'

A groan escaped her pursed lips as she let her head fall forward. 'Now what am I supposed to do?'

Scowling at her childish worry, Kaoru firmly pushed the thoughts aside and made her way to the dojo, retrieving her bokken from the wall mount as she entered. Determined to regain a normal frame of mind she padded lightly to the middle of the floor and took up her stance to begin working out her frustration. The familiar motions of the katas took over her body, freeing her from outside thoughts and allowing her mind to wander, soothing her tension away. Each step and swing almost a dance and rhythm of its own. The soothing familiarity lulled her into a semi-trancelike stare, inadvertently freeing a memory better left buried.

_Heavy rain poured from the dark grey clouds hanging low in the sky, casting a thick pall over the countryside. Its steady tap tap tap on the roof of the dojo, drowned out all sound as an eight year old Kaoru practiced her katas, oblivious to everything but her invisible enemy. As she finished, Kaoru turned towards the open door, spying her father's big, sturdy frame blocking out the feeble light. A slight smile on his face._

"_Good job, Kaoru, you've really improved." He said, walking up to where she stood in the middle of the floor, sweat dripping from her hair as she breathed heavily._

"_Thanks, Daddy," she said between breaths. "Do you think I'll be as good as you someday?"_

"_I think you'll be better than me before you know it, if you keep practicing like that."_

_Smiling she sagged to the floor and rested her head against her knees, trying to bring her breathing back to normal._

"_Kaoru...your mother wants to talk to you."_

_She looked up to see the smile had vanished from his face, a sort of sad resignation shadowing his features._

"_Is she alright?" she asked, afraid to hear the answer. Her suddenly limp hand releasing the bokken that clattered unnoticed onto the wooden floor._

_Shaking his head, her father paused before looking her squarely in the eyes as if coming to a decision. "No, it's not going to be long now, I'm afraid. Dr. Genzai just left and said she probably won't last the night."_

_With a sinking feeling Kaoru rose from the floor and walked slowly by him, her feet taking her towards her parents' room without conscious direction. Within she could hear her mother's wracking cough as she neared the closed door. She slowly slid the shoji open and saw her mother laying propped up on her futon, looking very pale and fragile. So different from the vibrant woman she had once been, before the illness had taken hold of her._

_Walking forward, Kaoru knelt down beside her. "Momma, you wanted to talk to me?"_

_Her mother gave her a wan smile before she nodded and answered in a quiet voice. "There's something I need to tell you before I'm no longer here to protect you, Kaoru," beginning to cough, her mother's small frame shook violently stopping her from continuing. When the convulsion subsided her mother whispered "We are special, Kaoru...our family has a secret that we must protect and never speak about to others." Wracking coughs overtook her mother again, the blood pooled at the corners of her mouth frightening the young girl._

_Kaoru shook her head "Momma, you need to rest, you can tell me later."_

_Smiling slightly her mother shook her head. " There will be no later... you must learn to protect yourself from those who would take your freedom from you."_

_"Why momma?... Who would want to do that?"_

A cry escaped her as white hot pain lanced through her head, blacking out everything but the insistent fire raging through her mind. Dropping her bokken with a clatter, she sank to the floor cradling her throbbing head in trembling hands. Tears burned as they fell from her eyes and she desperately tried to will the pain away. For as long as she could remember the memory had always ended this way, as if someone had made it impossible for her to recall the rest of her mother's warning. Every time she tried to remember she would be struck by the blinding headache until she gave up, allowing the memory to fade once more. She would be left feeling empty, confused and wondering again what that last declaration meant. Who would want to take away her freedom? Freedom of what? Why? There was nothing special about her.

Rising carefully from the floor as the pain slowly ebbed away, Kaoru returned her bokken to the wall mount and gingerly made her way to the bathhouse. She badly wanted to alleviate her aching head, to wash away the uncertainty and sorrow that always settled over her when this recollection attacked. As she reached the bathhouse she noticed Kenshin had already started the fire to heat her water and with a grateful sigh she made her way inside. In a matter of moments she had undressed, adding a touch of oil to the bath, and slipped into the warm water appreciatively. Leaning her head on a rolled towel she closed her eyes and let the scent of jasmine wash over her as the memory faded into the far corners of her mind, falling into the temptation of a light doze.

She was startled awake by a hesitant knock on the door. "Kaoru-dono... breakfast is ready."

Scowling at the honorific he insisted on using, she gathered her slumber-befuddled thoughts and managed to answer."Hai... I'm coming."

A soft scuffling came in answer as Kenshin made his way back to the kitchen. Kaoru rose from the cooling water and began toweling off. Once dressed in her favorite kimono, she tied her hair up in its customary ponytail and made her way to the dining area to find Sano and Kenshin already eating.

"Good morning, Jou-chan", Sano said as she walked in. A big grin on his face.

Kaoru eyed him suspiciously as she settled down at the low table. "Why are you here and not helping Yahiko down at the Akabeko?"

Sano lifted his hands in mock innocence. "Whoa, Jou-chan! It wasn't me who broke 'em. He got a little upset when I teased him about Tsubame. He's the one that started chucking food at me, dish and all." Flashing her an impish smirk, he added, "See, not my fault at all." Noticing one of Kaoru's eyebrows starting to twitch, Sano decided it was time to flee the dojo and Kaoru's ever-ready temper while his hide was still intact. With a quick, grinning glance at Kenshin he shot out the door and headed to the clinic, intent on pestering his favorite fox; figuring it would be safer than a bokken upside the head.

Hesitantly turning to Kenshin, Kaoru felt a slight blush begin to creep up her neck again. Frantically trying to force it away, she asked "Do you need anything at the market? I don't have any classes today so I'm going to go do some shopping"

Grinning inwardly at her blush, Kenshin shook his head and replied humbly, "No Kaoru-dono, sessha has everything he needs, but sessha would like to go with you if that's acceptable?"

"H...Hai... " she stammered. Covering her embarrassment she turned on his speech pattern of humility that irked her so, she scowled and shot at him "and quit calling yourself unworthy!"

Turning her attention back to her breakfast Kaoru finished quickly and helped Kenshin clean up the kitchen. Once they finished, she ran to her room retrieve her small money purse from the chest in her room before walking out to the front gate where she found Kenshin already waiting for her.

"Ready?" She asked, pushing the door open.

Folding his hands into the sleeves of his gi Kenshin nodded, following her out.

Closing the gate securely behind her Kaoru headed towards the market, acutely aware of the fiery-haired man walking beside her. It was especially in moments like this it felt as if she couldn't remember a time when Kenshin wasn't there. That it seemed to be longer than the six months it had been. But the words he had said when he agreed to stay still floated around in her head, causing a twinge of apprehension to course through her chest. She was afraid he would leave her someday, that thought was what truly frightened her more than anything. Despite the years of not trusting anyone because of her mother's warning, relying on only herself after her father died, she had become inadvertently attached to the red-haired rurouni and couldn't bear the thought of his departure.

Lost in his own thoughts, Kenshin walked beside Kaoru, quietly relishing the closeness that had formed between them over the months. The distance he tried to keep was starting to be more and more difficult to maintain. Because of this he had often thought of leaving so she wouldn't be drawn into his battles, like she had been with Jin'e. But there was something special about her that he couldn't quite figure out, something that made him stay no matter the danger he put her in. It was as if she was already in danger and needed him to protect her from whatever it was that shadowed her. He had vowed to himself that if he couldn't have her, he would at least do everything he could to keep her safe... from his enemies...and hers.

Glancing over at Kaoru he was startled from his thoughts to see what looked like a very faint golden sheen that seemed to be surrounding her, as if the sunlight was wrapping itself around her, caressing her with its bright rays. As they walked under a canopy of leaves covering the path he watched as the glow vanished. Blinking as if to clear his vision, he mused 'Must have just been a trick of the light ', and they continued walking down the shaded lane.

As they emerged back out into the sunlight he cast another glance in Kaoru's direction and noticed the glow encircle her again which making him wonder if maybe he was truly seeing this.

"Everything alright, Kenshin?" Kaoru asked, noticing his intent gaze.

"Hai, sessha was just noticing the golden highlights in your hair" he said, grinning to cover his bewilderment.

Kaoru raised an eyebrow. "They've always been there, my mother and grandmother had them too." In a slightly disheartened voice she added, "You've never noticed before?"

"Hai, sessha has but sessha didn't realize there were so many, that he did not." Kenshin answered, hiding his true thoughts. The highlights had been the first thing he had noticed about her when they had first met in the street with her standing over him, brandishing her bokken. He had wanted to run his fingers through her hair then, entranced by the oddity of golden highlights in a Japanese woman's hair, a contradiction in the norm of raven black or darkest brown.

Kaoru gave him a skeptical look and turned her attention back to the path.

A comfortable silence fell after that and they continued to make their way towards the market. Kaoru found her mind wandering back to her mother's warning again and she tried to find a way to unlock the rest without the backlash of a blinding headache. Rubbing her temple at the phantom pain that shot through it, she recalled that all her mother's things had been stored away after she had died and where. 'I wonder if there's anything in there that would help me?' she thought, incredulous that she had forgotten for so long, despite the chaos of her life following that sad occasion in her childhood.

A few moments later they reached the market and Kaoru filed away the intention to look for the boxes later and ambled aimlessly around to the different shops and stalls. Kenshin followed close behind as she eyed beautiful jewelry and kimonos that were on display, not really seeing anything she truly desired.

Neither noticed the figure that began to track their movements, hiding in the shadows.

Kenshin continued to ponder the weak glow that was still there in the sunlight as he watched Kaoru fingering the items on display. Confused that he couldn't feel anything special in her ki, he reached out without thinking to try to touch this wonder.

"What are you doing?"

Kenshin stopped his hand in mid-air and shifted his attention from the glow to her shocked eyes. Shrugging, he answered sheepishly, "Sessha thought he saw a leaf in your hair, that he did."

"Kenshin, are you sure you're feeling alright?" Kaoru asked. "You've been acting odd today," she added, peering up at him with a peculiar look. When he didn't answer but continued to gaze at her with his big grin she added irritably, "and how many times do I have to tell you to quit calling yourself that!"

As the silence stretched she grumbled, "Kenshin no baka" under her breath. Her fingers itched for a bokken, or anything for that matter, to whack him with. She finally gave up on getting an answer and sighed, "Are you hungry?" When he nodded she grabbed his hand and led him through the crowds towards the Akabeko, not noticing the slight smile gracing his lips.

Trailing them unseen to the Akebeko, their shadow launched himself onto the roof of the building across the street, contemplating the faint glow that surrounded the girl in the sunlight.

"Kaoru...Kenshin, haven't seen you two in a while." Tae said with a smile, as they walked through the entrance. "Follow me, Sano and Megumi are already here, we've got a full house so I'll put you with them."

"Sano and Megumi?" Kaoru asked.

"They came in about ten minutes ago." Tae winked at Kaoru, "Sano's got a red handprint on his cheek, wonder what he did this time."

"I'm sure he deserved it." Kaoru said matter of fact, still a little angry at the roosterhead for leaving Yahiko to suffer the consequences of their childish behavior. "Has Yahiko seen him yet?"

"No, he's in the back washing dishes."

Grinning wickedly, Kaoru maliciously murmured. "Sano's gonna have more than a red face if Yahiko sees him."

Tae mirrored her grin. "Oh really?"

Reaching the table where Sano and Megumi were seated they joined them, returning greetings. Kenshin seated himself beside Sano and Kaoru next to Megumi, who was a little irritated that Kenshin hadn't taken the seat she had offered. Tae looked to Kenshin and Kaoru, "Do you two want the special? Its beef simmered in ginger sauce with rice and vegetables."

They both nodded and Tae set off toward the kitchen.

"Kenshin...Jou-chan." Sano said, apprehension flashing through his eyes as he looked at Kaoru. "What brings you here?"

"Sessha and Kaoru-dono were shopping and decided to have some lunch, that we did." Kenshin responded. "Did you run into some trouble?" he asked, pointedly looking at the red handprint.

"Naw, some old man at the clinic grabbed the fox's behind and she thought it was me." He answered with a wink. "She decided to treat me to lunch when she realized it wasn't."

"Tori-a..ta..ma," Megumi grated, raising her hand as she scowled at Sano.

Shielding his face with his hands, Sano grinned. "Ok...Ok, I promise I won't say anymore!"

"Sano, why did you come here, you know Yahiko's here paying off _your_ debt." Kaoru asked, barely containing her irritation.

"It wasn't my choice, the fox wanted to come here and since she's paying..." he answered with a shrug. "Besides, it wasn't me who broke the damn dishes, the kid's got to learn to control himself."

Megumi fixed Sano with a hard look. "What did you do this time?"

"Hey it wasn't me, the kid's just a little too sensitive." He said, flashing her an impish grin.

So engrossed in their conversation nobody noticed as Yahiko made his way to the table with their lunch.

"S..a..n..o," Yahiko grated between clenched teeth, the illusion of flames surrounding his head as he reached the table and speared Sano with a hard look. "What...are...you...doing...here?"

Sano's face lit up into a huge smirk. "Yahiko! Heh, how's Tsubame today?"

Setting down their food Yahiko launched himself at Sano chewing on his head until Kenshin managed to wrench him off and hold him back.

"Yahiko, you don't want the same thing to happen that did the last time, do you?" Kenshin asked, keeping a tight grip on him.

Fists clenched tightly, Yahiko shot a withering glare at Sano. "No, but I swear that roosterhead is gonna get it!" As soon as Kenshin released him he stomped back to the kitchen fuming.

"Sano, you should not tease Yahiko so much, that you should not" Kenshin said casting an admonishing glance at the recovering fighter.

"I know, but he's so easy to rag, you should'a seen him, flaming red face every time Tsubame came to our table, stumbling over his words. It was like he had never seen a girl before...of course she did look quite cute in her new outfit." he answered amused, winking slyly.

Kaoru shook her head. "Sano, you're hopeless." A small smile came to her lips as she added, "Next time you do that I'm going to hold you down so he can pound on you."

With a grin, Sano dug into the food in front of him, stopping himself from saying anything that might make Kaoru whack him on the head. Being slapped and having his head chewed on was enough for one day.

Kaoru tucked in herself as she turned her thoughts inwards again, contemplating her mother's stored belongings, trying to remember if there was anything special her mother had had. It was during this pondering she suddenly noticed the barrier her mother had taught her to create in order to hide her aura was gone. A twinge of panic coursed through her. 'How long has it been gone?' she wondered nervously. She immediately closed her eyes and focused her mind on rebuilding her protection, not noticing the odd looks she was beginning to get. Finishing the barrier with a mental sigh of relief, she opened her eyes to see three sets of worried eyes turned her way. Blinking she managed a reassuring smile.

"Is something wrong, Kaoru? You got pale all of a sudden… maybe you should come to the clinic with me so I can check you over." Megumi said, eyeing her with concern.

Laughing nervously Kaoru waved a hand, "No...No I'm fine, really, I just got a little bit nauseous, but I feel better now."

Megumi gave her a skeptical look and shrugged then turned her attention back to her meal.

Kenshin however continued to watch Kaoru from beneath his bangs not believing her flimsy excuse. He knew she was hiding something, he could feel it.

Finishing with their meal they left, parting ways at the door as Sano walked Megumi back to the clinic and Kenshin and Kaoru made their way home. Noticing the glow no longer was there in the sunlight Kenshin questioned whether he had truly seen it or not, or if it had just been an odd trick of the sunlight that day.

Grinning to himself as the two he'd been following emerged out onto the street, the figure on the roof noticed the faint glow no longer surrounded the girl. Hopping down he began walking in the opposite direction of his prey, a small evil smile materializing on his face as he thought of how his boss was going to react at finding his heart's desire.


	3. Nightmares

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

Chapter 2 – Nightmares

The late afternoon sun warmed their backs as Kenshin and Kaoru strolled down the dirt path towards the dojo in companionable silence. Still pondering Kaoru's ashen face earlier in the day Kenshin cast a discreet glance at her profile, wishing he could read her mind. He knew she had lied at the Akebeko, something had scared her and whatever it had been was still bothering her. The tightness around her mouth and eyes caused his protective instinct to rise to the forefront, making his blood course swiftly through his veins.

Dropping his rurouni facade he reached out and grasped her hand, pulling her to a stop in the middle of the road. "What are you hiding, Kaoru?"

Shocked not only by his tone and lack of honorific but also the warm hand holding her in place, Kaoru snapped her head around. The startled question on her own lips died though, when she saw the firm, calculating gaze leveled her. She had only seen this look once before...when he had fought Jin'e. The only difference now was that his eyes were still violet and not the gleaming amber of that instance. Unnerved by his intense look she turned her eyes to the surrounding countryside and wondered if she dared to tell him her secret...at least what she knew. But that meant breaking the promise she had made with her mother and that was something she knew she couldn't do.

Shaking her head, she turned to him and pasted on what she hoped was a convincing smile. "Nothing, why?"

Kenshin's eyes softened at the weak smile she offered. Stepping closer to her he said in a low voice, "I can tell something is bothering you, Kaoru. I can't protect you if I don't know what to protect you from."

Warmth spread through Kaoru at his proximity and the silky sound of his voice, causing a flush to come to her face. The weak smile became a shy one on her lips. "I never asked you to protect me", she replied softly.

"I know...but...," leaning in he placed a featherlight kiss on her forehead and whispered against her skin, "...you're special to me."

Kaoru's eyes widened at his admission. 'Did he really say what I think he said?' she thought, hope welling up in her.

Leaning back to look into his eyes, Kaoru saw the truth of his declaration shining in the violet depths. Her heart flip-flopped in her chest as she struggled to breathe, caught in his gaze. She opened her mouth to tell him all she knew, but snapped it closed when she realized she really didn't know anything yet. Just that little bit of memory, an ability in cloaking her aura.

With a sigh she shifted her gaze to look down at their still clasped hands, "There's really nothing to protect me from, Kenshin." Then seeking to reassure him the best she could she added, "besides, with you and Sano under my roof no one would dare to threaten me."

Not completely convinced Kenshin nodded anyway and let his question go unanswered for now. Letting go of her hand he slipped on his rurouni mask and said with his typical grin, "Hai, that is true Kaoru-dono, that it is." as he began walking down the road again.

Confused by his instant switch back to his rurouni self, Kaoru followed a few steps behind him as her heart settled back into its normal rhythm. Sometimes it seemed impossible to try and figure out this complex man that shared her home.

When they reached the dojo Kaoru left Kenshin in the yard preparing to do the laundry and set off for her room. Determined to set aside those complicated thoughts, she changed into an old pair of hakama and gi before she made her way out to the storehouse that held all of her family's effects and odd items that had been collected over the years. Opening the door she left it ajar; allowing the sun to illuminate the interior as she scanned the shelves on both sides of the room. It took a few moments for her eyes to adjust in the dimness, but she soon spotted a crate full of her mother's clothes and made her way to the back. As she got closer her eyes widened at seeing all the crates packed with her mother's things. She didn't remember her mother having so much stuff!

Carefully lifting the first box off the shelf, she felt tears come to her eyes when she recognized the neatly folded kimono lying on top. With shaking hands, she gently unfolded it and held the soft material up to her cheek, recalling the luminescent shine in her mother's sapphire eyes the last day she'd worn it as they sat beside the river. They had talked about nothing in particular, just enjoyed each other's company. Her mother had already started to get sick by then, but that day she had looked so alive and vibrant. So much like her old self.

Kaoru smiled sadly, it's been ten years and she still haven't gotten over her mother's death.

Shaking her head, Kaoru sighed and wiped away the tears she had realized had fallen and continued to unpack the crate. Finding only clothes she put them back and returned it to its spot on the shelf before choosing another. She repeated the same ritual, finding only clothes again. Replacing that one she went to reach for another one when she heard a commotion out in the yard. Surprised, she raced out the door in consternation and was greeted with the sight of Sano protecting himself with his arm as Yahiko proceeded to knock him over the head with his bokken, nimbly avoiding all of Sano's attempts to catch him.

Kenshin, grinning like an idiot, sat to one side and continued to do the laundry, watching the two go at it.

Kaoru's eyebrow began to twitch. "YAHIKO...what are you doing?" she demanded as she rushed over to them.

A wicked grin formed on the boy's face. "Practicing" he said, whacking Sano one more time for good measure then dancing out of her reach.

He must have finally noticed the evil look in her eyes because he changed tactics and whined, "Ah, Kaoru...he deserved it!"

"I know he did," Kaoru bit out angrily, "but I didn't teach you the Kamiya Kassin Ryu for you to beat people over the head." Pointing towards the dojo she growled, "Get in there and scrub the floor NOW, Yahiko-_chan_."

"That's not fair, Busu!...and quit calling me little!" Stomping off to do what he was told, Yahiko flashed Sano with a hard look. "You had it coming, roosterhead."

When Yahiko had gone Kaoru turned her attention to Sano, a scowl marring her features that caused him to step back a few more paces."You tease him one more time about Tsubame and _I'm_ going to beat you over the head!"

"Ok...Ok, Jou-chan, I promise I won't." He said, rubbing his sore head. "Besides, I don't think my head can take anymore anyway."

Satisfied, Kaoru rounded on Kenshin and nailed him with a glare, "And you...what were you doing just sitting there with that stupid grin on your face?"

Kenshin shrugged. "Now that Yahiko has had his revenge everything should go back to normal, that it should." Flashing her a peaceful expression he returned his attention to the laundry.

Rolling her eyes, Kaoru shook her head muttering 'baka rurouni' under her breath as she turned to close up the storehouse. Tomorrow might be a little quieter and make it easier for her to search. With a yawn, she padded into the dojo and watched as Yahiko made running swipes of the already extremely shiny floor. Feeling guilty for sending him to do what really didn't need to be done she interrupted his muttering, "Yahiko, you can stop now, but if I see you do that one more time I'll send you out to every dojo in Tokyo to clean the floors."

Yahiko stopped in mid swipe and gazed up at her with a sheepish look. "I'm sorry, Kaoru, I won't do it again...unless he asks for it!" he added with a grumble.

Kaoru nodded sympathetically and walked over to where he was crouched to ruffle his hair until he shot out from beneath her hand.

"Stop that...I'm not a kid anymore!"

"I know you're not." She winked at him as a sly grin formed on her lips and added, "Next time you decide to beat on Sano don't use your bokken...that's what really upset me." Yahiko's answering grin made her smile and she sent him on his way before following him out and closing the doors behind her.

Another yawn cracked her jaw as she made her way out to where Kenshin sat on the porch, his chores done for the day. Sano sat beside him still rubbing the bump on his head muttering about bratty kids who needed to learn to control themselves.

"I guess it's time for me to make dinner," Kaoru said, as she sat down for minute beside Kenshin.

Sano swung panicked eyes at her. "Whoa, Jou-chan, let's not be hasty! I thought you weren't mad anymore...I want to live for a little while longer"

Kaoru's eyebrow started to twitch again as she straightened, intent on giving the knot on his head a twin when all of a sudden two whirlwinds of energy shot through the yard screaming "Ken-nii" at the top of their lungs. Ayame and Suzume flung themselves at the rurouni, successfully squeezing the breath out of their favorite play toy. Following behind came Dr. Genzai and Megumi, who was carrying a covered basket that looked suspiciously like food.

Flashing her fox smile as she neared, Megumi simpered. "Hi guys, thought you might want a real dinner tonight."

"What's that suppose to mean?" Kaoru asked in a dangerously low voice, fisting her hands as she leveled a hard glare on the older woman.

Megumi snickered behind her hand, Kaoru swore she saw fox ears popping out of her head. "Nothing", maybe even a tail flickered from behind as well.

"You look tired, Kaoru-dono, you really didn't want to cook anyway did you?" Kenshin piped up regaining his breath, as a little girl perched on each knee happily playing with his ponytail.

Shaking her head in defeat, she secretly smiled. "No, not really." Eating her own food tended to leave a bad taste in her mouth anyway, and she hated to admit it but Megumi was an excellent cook.

At her agreement everyone moved into the dining area and settled down around the low table to dig into the delicious meal Megumi had brought.

A moment Yahiko wandered in, his eyes alight with undisguised hope. "Is this Megumi's cooking?"

Kaoru gave him a black look that he chose to ignore in favor of filling his plate and digging in.

Talk around the dinner table was minimal and reserved for what everyone had done throughout the day. When they all finished they moved back out into the warm night air where the moon cast a surreal glow to the yard. Exhausted from their day, Ayame and Suzume curled up beside Kenshin and promptly went to sleep.

"Are you feeling better?" Dr. Genzai asked, as he sat down beside Kaoru. "Megumi told me you were a little nauseous at lunch today."

Giving him a reassuring smile she nodded, "Hai, I'm feeling much better. I had a little headache this morning and it must have been an aftereffect of that."

Covering a yawn that escaped against her will Kaoru felt exhaustion settle over her like a blanket, The unusual day must have worn her out more than she thought.

"Are you tired, Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin asked with a concerned look. "Maybe you should go lay down."

Giving the redhead a long look she finally nodded in agreement she rose and said goodnight to everyone as Megumi and Dr. Genzai each collected a sleeping bundle and prepared to head out.

Sano quickly rose and took Ayame from Megumi's arms. "I'll walk you home," he said as he followed Dr. Genzai out the gate, leaving a surprised Megumi to follow behind.

Once they had left Kaoru made her way inside and headed towards her room, Kenshin shadowing her movements.

"You had a headache this morning?" he asked, as they reached her door.

Waving her hand negligently, she smiled at him, "Yeah, it was nothing really. Goodnight, Kenshin." Then before he could ask any more she entered her room and closed the door on the skeptical look in his eyes, not wanting to deal with questions she couldn't answer anyway.

After a long moment Kenshin's soft footfalls faded towards his room and Kaoru set to work changing into her sleeping yukata then gratefully unrolled and sank down onto her futon. With a tug she pulled the ribbon from her hair and deftly braided the long length, the look in Kenshin's eyes when he had said she was special to him suddenly floating before her eyes again. Still a little confused by the statement, she wondered if he meant special in the way she hoped he did. Snorting at herself, she ignored the increase in her heartbeat and stomped down such thoughts as she laid down. and yet as she was drifting off to sleep it was Kenshin's warm, violet eyes that chased her into oblivion.

_**ooooooooooooooooo**_

Predawn light was filtering over the wooded landscape when Kaoru's stalker vaulted from his near foundering horse in front of the compound housing his employer. Making his way through the tunnel, he strode purposefully along the shadowed hallways of the mansion, intent on conveying the information he had unearthed in Tokyo the day before. Within moments he reached the closed shoji door that led to what he liked to called the 'throne room' and knelt at the door and waited for admittance. No one entered this room without authorization, unless they no longer cherished their life that is.

A beat later the door slide open soundlessly, guided by a beautiful, raven-haired woman. Her rosy lips inviting to those crazy enough to try to seduce the master's wench. Some had tried and their bodies now lay at the bottom of the ravine outside the compound, their remains picked clean by the crows that had made their home there. He rose without casting a glance at her and made his way to the low dais and the man sitting cross-legged on the glossy wood.

"I've found her."

An unholy gleam came to the man's nearly black eyes. "Where?"

"Tokyo...she's a kendo master and owns the dojo where she teaches."

"A spirited one then." A small smile slowly crept across the man's bloodless lips. "That will make things more...entertaining. Does my angel have a name?"

"Kamiya Kaoru."

The piercing gaze his employer nailed him with made the watcher's skin crawl.

"And you are sure she's the one?"

With a nod he gestured to the painting on the wall above the dais. "She looks exactly like that one, same golden highlights and sapphire eyes. She also has a faint golden aura that she can control."

A sickening sweet smile slide across his employer's lips as he digested this information.

"Then she is one of Akiko's blood."

The watcher nodded again then hesitantly added the one piece of information he wasn't sure how his master would take. "There's one problem...Battousai is staying at the dojo with her."

His employer's smile widened as the gleam intensified in the man's gaze. "She's the Hitokiri Battousai's woman...how did I get so lucky?"

Surprised by the reaction, the watcher murmured, "What are we going to do about him? There's no way we can take her out from underneath his nose."

A harsh laugh filled the quiet hall.

"That will be taken care of, be ready to retrieve her in two days."

Dipping his head the watcher muttered, "Hai," as he backed out of the room.

Once alone in the steadily brightening room another humorless chuckle escaped Shishio Makoto's throat as he stood and turned to gaze at the painting. His eyes intent on the figure depicted so remarkably before him. You are mine now...there will be no escape.

_**ooooooooooooooooo**_

_Kaoru wandered aimlessly down the darkened hallway, almost positive she had been here before. Careful not to make any sound as she treaded softly to the end of the hallway, she rounded the corner and found herself staring at a blank wall. To either side of her another hallway extended into the shadowed depths of the mansion, no doors visible along the walls. A feeling of being watched flowed over her as she stood motionless, causing the hair on the back of her neck to rise in alarm. Her heart began to pound madly, echoing in her ears as she flexed her hand, wishing for the reassuring weight of a bokken. Choosing the hallway to her right she began to slowly make her way down the shadowed passage, desperately hoping it would lead her to a way out. After walking for what seemed like hours she finally came to a closed door. Achingly slow, she extended her sweat dampened hand and grasped the frame, hoping beyond hope that beyond lay her salvation. _

_Sliding the door open she was instantly swallowed by an inky blackness that consumed her entire being, leaving her floating in nothingness as terror and panic pounded through her. Scrabbling ineffectually as all reason left her behind, she heard a humorless chuckle echo around her._

_Suddenly a voice slithered its way into her mind, "You are mine now...there will be no escape."_

Shocked out of sleep Kaoru bolted upright smashing her fist against her lips, stifling the scream that fought to escape her throat. Shaking uncontrollably she sat there, eyes wide as she tried to slow her rapidly beating heart, fear still pounding through her in great waves as the voice continued to echo in her mind. Swinging her gaze to the window she realized it was dawn, the steadily brightening room starting to ebb away the fear raging through her.

'It was only a nightmare' she thought with relief, as the tremors that had racked her body slowly subsided. Flopping back down onto the futon she laid her arm across her eyes, her heart resuming its normal tempo, leaving her feeling drained. Moments later the sudden surge of adrenaline passed out of her system allowing Kaoru to slip into a fitful, dreamless sleep again.


	4. Omens

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

Chapter 3 – Omens

"KAORU, WAKE UP!"

When no answer was forthcoming after his third and most vehement call, Yahiko beat on the wooden frame of her door again.

"HEY, BUSU! WE'RE GOING TO BE LATE!"

Kaoru rose slowly into consciousness as Yahiko's insistent thumping continued to reverberate through her fogged mind, dragging her out of the comforting blackness.

"WAKE UP, BUSU! WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE THERE IN TEN MINUTES!"

That got her attention. Bolting awake for the second time that morning, Kaoru glanced out the window and was stunned to see the sun high in the sky. Cursing colorfully under her breath, she scrambled from the blankets to throw her clothes on, not bothering to straighten her gi as she fought to take down her braid. With a near vicious yank the braid unraveled to be tied up just as rapidly into a tail again. Flinging the door open she almost barreled straight into Yahiko, who stood wide eyed at her sudden emergence.

She paused long enough to spear him with a glare. "Why didn't you wake me up earlier?" she demanded.

"I tried to, but you just kept snoring away," he replied with a smirk.

Kaoru's eyes flashed dangerously. "I do _not_ snore!"

Reaching out to whack him, Kaoru connected with empty air as Yahiko bolted down the hallway, snickering as he ran out of sight. Coming back to her senses she sprinted in his wake, even knowing there was no way they would make it all the way across Tokyo in ten minutes.

Spying Yahiko in the doorway she grabbed his collar and with a hasty "Bye, Kenshin" flung over her shoulder, she darted out the front gate, dragging the kid behind.

Surprised, Kenshin stood in the yard with a shocked look on his face for a long moment before he shook his head with a chuckle and resumed sweeping the walkway. A few minutes later Sano ambled out onto the porch clearly irritated by something.

"What was all the noise just now?" Sano grumbled when he caught sight of Kenshin.

"Kaoru-dono woke late for her lessons, that she did," Kenshin replied with a grin.

Rubbing his aching head Sano sat down on the porch step. "Man, she has got to learn to be quieter. I could have used a little more sleep after the three bottles of sake Katsu and I downed last night."

Amused, Kenshin shrugged his shoulders and continued with his task, not feeling any sympathy for Sano's self-induced idiocy.

"Hey, Kenshin, wanna go to the gambling hall? I could use your help today, my pockets are getting a little light."

Kenshin shook his head. "No, sessha needs to finish the chores from yesterday, that he does."

Sano eyed him for a long moment before he shrugged and headed for the gate. "Alright, see ya later."

Once the ex-fighter closed the gate behind him silence fell over the dojo and the yard was restored in short order allowing Kenshin to set to his next task. Making his way over to the well, he filled the washbasin and settled in to finish the remaining laundry. It didn't take him long to fall into the familiar rhythm and his mind took the opportunity to wander back to the exchange between him and Kaoru the day before. He had been so close to just letting the rurouni go and take her as his own. She had looked so beautiful there in the afternoon sun, a gentle smile lighting up her delicate features. He knew she would accept him, bloody past and all. But there was still a nagging voice in his head that continued to tell him he wasn't worthy of her love, his hands too blood-covered for her innocence. Common sense dictated that he should leave.

Yet something kept telling him that she was in danger.

It had hit him hard at dawn when he'd heard her bolt awake muffling a scream as he sat outside her window, unable to sleep. He could feel the waves of fear wash over her as she had fought whatever demon had awoken her, her rapid heartbeats pounding in his ears. That had almost done him in. He had actually risen and was just about to make his way into her room, to wrap her in his arms to protect her from whoever dared to haunt her. But when he had glanced through her window and saw she had lain back down, already drifting back to sleep, he stepped back instead.

A familiar ki suddenly brushed against his own, pulling him from his thoughts and Kenshin shifted his head just enough to glance over his shoulder at the newcomer. He stiffened when he caught sight of the one man that had been his equal during the Bakumatsu. The one man he hoped to never encounter again.

"So the rumors are true," Saitou Hajime drawled, as he neared Kenshin's seated form. "The Hitokiri Battousai has lowered himself to being a housemaid." A dry chuckle escaped the ex-Shinsengumi's lips as he eyed Kenshin with disdain. "Never thought I'd see the 'greatest assassin' in Japan scrubbing a woman's kimono."

Clearly enjoying the sight before him, a mocking smile formed on Saitou's face.

"What are you here for, Wolf?" Kenshin asked, as he rose to face the man who would gladly kill him today if given the chance. However that question seemed unimportant when he turned to face the man and saw the uniform Saitou was wearing. Eyebrows lifted in surprise, Kenshin asked, "You work for the Meiji government?"

Saitou shrugged dispassionately, "If you can't defeat 'em, join 'em..." A hungry look flashed through his eyes as he stared at Kenshin, purposefully resting a hand on the hilt of his katana. "Besides, it gives me a chance to still kill when need arises."

Kenshin crouched down and retrieved his sakabatou from its resting place at his feet, sliding it into the belt of his hakama. "I'm no longer that man."

A disbelieving smirk curled his former enemy's lips. "Once a killer...always a killer."

Kenshin scowled but said nothing more in his defense. This man would never understand. A heavy silence stretched between them and Kenshin could feel the antipathy radiating off Saitou as they stood staring at each other, locked in a battle of wills. The tension in the air thickened as the minutes passed by causing his hand to involuntarily grasp the hilt of his sakabatou as he waited for the first strike.

The strike never came, Saitou relaxed and speared him with a hard glare. "I see, you truly are not the man you were, but," a slow smile lit up his face, "when he reappears we will settle what we didn't finish during the revolution."

Kenshin relaxed, but didn't completely let his guard down. "Why did you come here?"

"I just wanted to see if the rumors were true." Slipping a cigarette between his lips, the cop added, "It seems Kamiya Kaoru _has_ found herself a maid...and a guardian."

Kenshin tensed at the familiar tone in Saitou's voice when he spoke Kaoru's name, then focused on Saitou's last word. "Guardian?" he asked cautiously. The way the wolf had spoken it, the pause and inflection, alerted the rurouni that it meant more than it seemed…that Saitou knew something Kenshin did not.

The cop remained silent as a feline grin formed on his lips.

Kenshin's eyes narrowed dangerously at the mocking smile as amber seeped into violet and he growled between clenched teeth, "What do you know about Kaoru?"

_**ooooooooooooooooo**_

Kaoru slowly made her way back to the dojo in the early afternoon sun, her body aching as if she'd been trampled multiple times. The surge of adrenaline that had coursed through her upon waking this morning had dissipated when she and Yahiko had finally made it to the Kamina dojo. Fifteen minutes late for the lessons she was suppose to give. On top of that, the students had been boys ranging from thirteen to sixteen. Boys who liked to think they already knew all there was to know about kendo, driving her mad with their complete lack of attention. Poor Yahiko had gotten to the point where all he wanted to do was whack every one of the brats over the head, so she had sent him off to finish working off the debt at the Akebeko to keep him from losing control. And to top it all off they had to go back and do it again the next day.

Groaning at the thought of what tomorrow would bring, she rubbed her aching head and opened the gate. Automatic steps took her to her room where she grabbed a change of clothes, intent on washing away her aggravation in a nice hot soothing bath. Maybe searching through her mother's things afterwards would be more pleasant with a calmer state of mind. Stepping out onto the porch she froze when she saw Kenshin facing off with the man who had looked out for her since her father had died two years ago. The tension between the two nearly pulsed in the air, holding her fast as she took in the sight. Kenshin's eyes slid to her still form causing a flutter of anxiety to tickle through her belly. He looked on the verge of shedding blood.

"Kamiya...it's been awhile." Saitou greeted, without taking his attention off Kenshin.

"About seven months, where have you been?" Kaoru asked, clearly feeling the deadly intent that arced between the two men like a bolt of lightning.

"I've been busy." Throwing a sly look her way, he added, "But I see you've found a new guardian."

"He is _not_ my guardian. I can take care of myself!" Kaoru shot back, her eyes narrowed in irritation. Forget the chance Kenshin might be on the verge of taking him out, she might just take a shot at it herself.

Saitou grinned to himself at the slight reddening of his charge's cheeks and cast a hooded glance at Kenshin. His smile widened even more as he watched the possessive look pass through Kenshin's eyes when he glanced at Kaoru. Locking eyes with his nemesis, his smile vanished instantly, replaced with a stern countenance. "Don't leave Tokyo anytime soon, Battousai...or you may regret it."

With that he pivoted on his heels and left, leaving a stunned Kenshin standing in the yard staring at his retreating form, hand still firmly gripping his sakabatou. The abrupt departure had the redhead frowning in quizzical consternation. A moment later Kaoru step off the porch and Kenshin swung his head around, pinning her with his still lethal amber gaze. "How do you know that man?"

Kaoru froze again and shifted nervously under his intense gaze. Clutching her clothes tightly to her chest she dropped her attention to the ground "I met him when..." she started with a low whisper. Then with a shiver continued, "Saitou, he's the one who told me of my father's death."

Seeing the discomfort she was in, discomfort he had caused, Kenshin felt his anger fade, his eyes settling back to violet, and he decided to drop the questioning. With a reassuring smile he softly said, "Sessha will heat your bath now, Kaoru-dono."

Startled at the sudden change, Kaoru snapped her head up and reflexively speared him with a glare at the 'sessha' he would not stop using. Staring up into his face, though, she saw the shadow of that intense being he had been just moments ago still lingering. Unbalanced she decided to not press the issue. Instead she nodded and turned to make her way into the bathhouse. Sliding the door closed behind her with a soft click, she tried to ignore her still thundering heartbeat and quickly shed her dirty clothes then sank gratefully into the tepid water and waited for the heat to start filtering in. Her aching muscles were still screaming from their earlier abuse and she focused on them instead of the tumult of emotions that were rioting within.

Outside Kenshin fed and stoked the fire into a healthy blaze, then sat to lean back against the wall of the bathhouse thinking about the odd confrontation. Why would Saitou have any interest in Kaoru? This went beyond a simple nod to self-imposed duty over her father's death. That underlying intensity spoke beyond that when Saitou had given his parting shot. Some way or another the wolf was connected to Kaoru, in a way that wasn't the conventional norm. He couldn't think of a reason for it, however.

Within the bathhouse Kaoru found herself relaxing as the heat started to sooth her aches away and she rested her head against the rolled towel. "Kenshin, are you still there?"

"Hai, Kaoru-dono."

Suddenly nervous, Kaoru sank down in the water a little further and tried to decide if she should ask about what had occurred in the yard a few minutes ago. Taking a deep breath she decided on a subtle route and asked, "How do you know Saitou?"

A soft sigh came before he replied, "He was the captain of the Third Squad of the Shinsengumi during the revolution, we never settled our differences."

Kaoru could hear the withdrawn sound in his voice. "So, you two are enemies." She stated, already knowing the answer.

"Yes."

Several moments of silence passed before Kaoru spoke in a soft voice barely loud enough for Kenshin to hear. "He's been watching over me since my father died, he came himself to tell me what had happened. Told me of the promise he had made with my father just before he'd died."

"What was the promise?"

"He promised to watch over me until the one destined to protect me arrived." Kaoru sighed at the confusion that statement still caused. "I don't know what that means, it all sounds ridiculous but he's come to visit about once a month, until recently."

"Protect you from what?" Kenshin asked, the hope in his voice unmistakable.

A sad smile touched Kaoru's lips. She wished she knew that too but that was still one of the mysteries no one could seem to answer. Exhaling softly, she dejectedly murmured, "I don't know, Kenshin."

Kenshin frowned at the sadness and bewilderment in her voice and decided to let the discussion go for now, if he pushed her too hard she may never tell him. Rising from the ground he ran his fingers through his fiery hair, wishing there was something he could do to erase the forlorn tone in her voice. "Sessha's going to go start dinner now, Kaoru-dono."

"Okay," Kaoru muttered in reply. Listening as his soft footfalls faded away she slipped further into the water and whispered into the empty room, "I wish I could remember, Kenshin, for both of us."

With a resigned sigh, Kaoru eventually rose from the cooling water and dressed. Leaving the bathhouse she made her way over to the storehouse and opened it up wide to let in the late afternoon sun. On silent feet she padded to the back where her mother's things were and started where she had left off the day before in hopes of finding the answers to all their questions. The time passed quickly as she searched the numerous crates, her hope diminishing as each one she emptied held nothing but painful memories and no clues. Reaching the last one, she set it down and began lifting out the empty scrolls and ink bottles that had rested on her mother's desk so long ago when her fingers brushed against a smooth surface. With a bemused expression she lifted out a small wooden box with a brass lock on it. Kaoru studied it, racking her memory but she didn't remember her mother having such an item. Looking at it closely she saw the name Aiko etched into the smooth surface of the lid.

Aiko?

It wasn't her mother's name, but she still felt like she had heard it somewhere before.

Inwardly shrugging she set the box aside and continued searching the crate for the key that would unlock this mystery. Not finding it she restacked the other items and placed the crate back in its resting spot on the shelf.

"Hey, Kaoru, Kenshin said dinner is ready."

Kaoru jumped and nearly lost her balance at the sound of Yahiko's voice echoing through the wide space.

Gathering her wits again she called out, "Ok, I'm coming."

Grabbing the small box, she eyed it thoughtfully as she headed into the dojo towards her room, wondering where the key might be. The insistent growling of her stomach invaded her thoughts, however, and set the box on her desk for later perusal. The delectable scents wafting through the air were far more important at the moment. spinning on her heel she quickly made her way out to the dining area where Yahiko and Kenshin were already waiting for her and settled in beside Yahiko where Kenshin had already laid out her dinner. Smiling at Kenshin in thanks she murmured a soft "Itadakimasu," and quietly tucked into the meal, thinking about all of the strange things that had occurred lately and the name that seemed so familiar to her. Unaware of the odd glances her companions gave her as her introspective thoughts seemed to consume her.

The silence stretched for several minutes before Yahiko broke. "Hey Busu, why are you so quiet?"

Driven by pure instinct Kaoru shot out a hand and smacked the boy on the back of the head. "I told you to stop calling me that!" She grumbled half-heartedly before she rose and set her dirty dishes near the wash basin then silently left the room and its shocked occupants. A faint muttering followed her out but Kaoru didn't bother to listen as her mind shifted back to its previous thoughts. Within moments she was back in her room and she lit a candle to chase away the shadows before sitting down in front of the desk. Trailing a finger over the smooth wood of her find she pondered the whereabouts of the key she needed. She somehow knew, almost instinctively, that she would find the answers she desperately needed in this box, but how to open it?

Fingering the sturdy lock that still gleamed like new, she gave it a test tug to see if it would give any. When it didn't budge she smiled ruefully, like it's going to make it easy for her.

Staring blankly at the etched lid Kaoru continued to absentmindedly rub the cool metal of the lock, hoping the location of the key would somehow give itself away. Given free reign her subconscious took immediate advantage and let loose the painful memory that always resulted in a blinding headache. All of a sudden the room faded around her as an image of her mother laid out on her futon filled her sight, a faint glimmer against the pale skin of her mother's neck catching her attention. As Kaoru watched the glimmer intensified until it was encased in a golden aura leaving everything else in shadow. Focusing on the glinting item in the center of the blinding glow she saw a small brass key suspended by a slender silver chain.

Shocked by what was happening, Kaoru didn't notice the pain that began to slowly build behind her eyes as she continued to watch the memory unravel. Unexpectedly a spear of white hot fire tore through her mind, causing her eyes to water and she fisted her hands enough to draw blood as her nails bit into her palms. The pain wrenched her back into reality and she hurriedly emptied her mind in an attempt to stave off the rest of the attack and was surprised when the ache gradually receded.

Kaoru rubbed her temples until the pain was nothing but a memory and she heaved a great sigh of relief when it completely subsided. Shaking her head she eyed the box in confusion. She had only ever seen their aura once when her mother had shown while teaching her how to make the barrier and it had been nothing like _that_. Where had that come from!

Unable to answer the question, Kaoru let out a weary sigh and tugged on the lock again. Well now she knew where the key _had_ been... but where was it now?

With a rueful smile, Kaoru glanced out her open window at the full moon riding high in the sky. Everything that had happened in the last couple of days was starting to tax her mind, causing a weariness to settle into her bones. Swallowing a yawn, she rose and changed into her sleeping yukata, too worn out to unravel it anymore that night. This could wait for the morning, with a fresh mind and renewed energy. A quick tug on her ribbon set her hair free and she didn't bother braiding it, instead just blew out the candle and lay down. With an exhalation she curled up into a tight ball on the futon, mentally and physically drained from all that had happened.

Just as she started to drift off to sleep she heard the light padding of feet stop before her door.

"Kaoru-dono, are you alright?"

"Hai, Kenshin, just a little tired" she murmured, her heart twisting slightly at the concern in his voice. "I'll see you in the morning."

A long pause came before Kenshin finally muttered, "Goodnight, Kaoru-dono."

She listened as he headed outside to the porch in front of her room and sat down. A feeling of security fell over Kaoru like a blanket at Kenshin's soothing presence just outside her window. Almost as if he was guarding her sleep.

Sitting in the glow of the full moon, Kenshin listened to Kaoru's breathing as it leveled out behind him, watching over her as she slipped into her dreams. Slowly the feeling that events were starting to spiral out of his control began to well up in his chest, causing a twinge of anxiety to shoot through him as he thought of what Saitou had said.

_Don't leave Tokyo anytime soon, Battousai, or you may regret it._

He was sure Saitou knew something, and tomorrow he would drag it out of the Wolf even if he had to draw blood to do it.

_**ooooooooooooooooo**_

Shinomori Aoshi, Okashira of the Oniwabanshu, leaned back from the desk and rubbed the bridge of his nose in attempt to quell the ache that was starting to rise behind his eyes. Frustration was beginning to mark his usually stoic countenance as the events of the day ran through his mind. It had been a bloody day in the streets of Kyoto, five men seemingly chosen at random, had been killed by an unknown assailant. Each one having had their throats slit and a huge X carved into their chests, then left in an undignified heap in the middle of the busy streets. Yet no one had seen a thing, it was as if they had simply materialized out of thin air.

But that wasn't even the best part.

Closing his ice blue eyes, he recalled the discovery not two hours ago. Someone had slipped into the Aoiya and left a chunk of marble on one of the tables, slipping out again unseen by all the members of the Oniwabanshu. The jagged piece now sat before him gleaming slightly in the moonlight filtering through the open shoji door behind him. He opened his eyes to read again the name etched deeply in the smooth surface.

Himura Tomoe

It seemed one of Battousai's enemies had decided to leave him a calling card.

A shadow materialized before him and without taking his eyes of the marble he asked, "Well?"

"It's completely destroyed...all that's left is that piece." Hannya replied nodding at the portion on the desk.

"It's as I thought." Sighing Aoshi lifted his eyes, "Summon Misao, I have an assignment for her."

Hannya nodded and in the next instant was gone. Aoshi drew out a clean piece of rice paper and began writing the letter that would summon Himura Battousai to Kyoto... one that would unwittingly leaving Kaoru alone.


	5. Crossing The Line

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

Chapter 4 - Crossing The Line

"The messenger has left the Aoiya. Be in Tokyo today to retrieve what is mine."

"Battousai will leave?"

A slow smile formed on Shishio's face. "I've left a message he will not be able to ignore. He will be gone by tonight, that will only leave an ex-fighter and a kid...kill them if they get in your way, but she comes to me unharmed. Do you understand?"

"Hai."

The watcher rose and backed out of the room, his eyes focused on the hard wood beneath his feet. Reaching the door the man didn't miss the glare the boss's wench shot at his seated form as he turned to leave. A slight grin formed on his face. The bitch had it coming.

Once he was alone in the room, Shishio Makoto rose and turned his attention to the painting on the wall. Tracing a finger down the cheek of the woman captured on the canvas, he smiled. "You were unable to hide them from us forever, Aiko...now she will be mine."

_**oooooooooooooooooo**_

Kenshin made another running sweep of the porch, bypassing Kaoru as he did. Spring fever was starting to set in at the Kamiya dojo and Kaoru had decided to give the entire dojo a good cleaning before she had to give lessons at the Kamina dojo again this afternoon. Yahiko had been roped into beating out the futons and was currently mumbling about clean freaks. Muttered words went on to rant about those who really needed to hire someone to do this, instead of making him waste time and not training to get stronger. Sano on the other hand had made a quick escape when Kaoru had tried to hand him a broom, laughing over his shoulder as she made to chase after him, brandishing the broom like a club.

As Kenshin continued to make sweeps of the polished wood he found himself pondering all the strange things that had happened within the last two days. After Kaoru's comment about the destined guardian he'd thought more about the faint glow he'd seen wrapping around her... maybe it really had been there. The feeling that she was something extraordinary continued to grow within him, causing a twinge of jealousy to flow through his chest at this person who was 'destined' to protect her, afraid that person might be Saitou. Of all people.

"Kenshin?"

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he glanced to Kaoru who was standing in the yard. The gentle breeze sifting through the locks framing her face made them dance playfully around her cheeks and he was struck again by just how much he wished she was his.

Stomping down the thought before it had a chance to take root, he replied, "Hai, Kaoru-dono?"

Kaoru flashed him a smile. "It's time for me to go, can you finish the rest of the porches?"

"Hai, Kaoru-dono, they will be done before you get back, that they will." He answered with his rurouni grin firmly in place.

"Thanks, is there anything you need from the market? I can stop and pick it up on my way back."

Kenshin shook his head. "No, sessha has everything he needs. Yahiko brought rice home from the Akebeko yesterday, that he did."

Kaoru shrugged as if to say suit yourself and headed for the gate. "Okay, see you later then."

Kenshin watched her go, his earlier thoughts re-asserting themselves as the sunlight caught the blonde highlights in her hair just before she vanished. Maybe it was time...

Shaking his head again, he set back to work and quickly finished up the porches. Once he had put the cleaning cloths away, he slipped his sakabatou through his belt and headed for the gate, determined to hunt down the wolf and get the answers he hadn't the day before. a frown passed across his face as he headed for the gate. He would have them one way or another today, even if he had to draw blood to get them.

Yet, just as he laid his hand against the wood to pull it open, a loud knock resounded against his palm. With widened eyes, he quickly tugged the door open and was surprised to see the small, raven-haired young woman standing on the other side.

"Misao-chan?"

Said girl immediately dropped the package in her hands and flung herself at him, giving him a huge bear hug. "Himura-san!" She exclaimed, squeezing him so tight that he swore he'd been turned inside out. And then almost as quickly as she'd jumped on him, she let him go and shot past him into the yard. "Where's Kaoru?"

"She's gone to give lessons at another dojo, that she did." Kenshin rasped, trying to catch his breath after her jubilant greeting. Confused by her sudden appearance, he finally managed to ask, "What brings you here?"

"Um...well..." Misao leaned down and retrieved the dropped package then thrust it at him. Keeping her eyes fixed on the box, she replied, "Aoshi-sama wanted me to deliver this to you."

A sense of foreboding whispered through Kenshin's chest at her odd behavior and he took the box from her hands. Slipping his sakabatu out of his belt as he made his way to the porch, he sat down and removed the letter that was tucked securely under the twine holding the box closed and unfolded it to reveal the neat script within.

_Battousai,_

_Enclosed is all that remains of your wife's headstone. It is my belief that an enemy from your past has surfaced to settle a score._

_Your presence is required in Kyoto. Misao has been given the train ticket you will need. _

_Shinomori Aoshi_

_Okashira of the Oniwabanshu_

Kenshin's face paled as he set aside the letter and undid the twine holding the lid down. Opening the box, he simply stared at the broken piece of marble carrying the name of his beloved wife, the jagged edges barely missing the deeply engraved kanji. Unadulterated rage spilled though his veins as he eyed the polished stone, tracing the kanji with a shaking finger.

Who could have done something like this!

Amber flashed through his eyes as his rage continued to grow by leaps and bounds. Clutching the side of the box with fisted hands he barely felt the splinters digging into his left hand as the wood gave under the pressure.

"When did this happen?" he grated softly, barely managing to keep his rage under control.

Misao hung her head and stared at the ground, her usual enthusiasm subdued. "Last night. Aoshi-sama sent me as soon as Hannya checked the gravesite." Pausing, she cast a hesitant glance in his direction, "It was left on one of the tables at the Aoiya...no one saw who left it."

Kenshin leveled a hard glare on her, "How is that possible?"

"No one knows, it's never happened before."

"So Aoshi doesn't know who did it." Kenshin stated, already knowing the answer.

Misao just shook her head, she knew there was nothing she could say that would help him deal with this transgression. Unconsciously fidgeting under his gaze she was relieved when she saw Yahiko come around the side of the dojo, a deep scowl etched on his features.

"Since when did I sign on to be a maid?" Yahiko heard him grumbled to himself as he made his way towards them. Dust was sticking to the fringes of his black hair making it look like Kaoru had decided to use his head to sweep with.

"Yahiko-chan!" Misao shouted, as she bolted towards him. Knocking him to the ground she wrapped herself around him, extremely happy for the distraction.

"Who are you calling little, weasel girl!" Yahiko shot back, his face flaming red in mortification as he tried to untangle himself. Finally managing to worm his way out from underneath her, he stood and glanced around, "Where's Aoshi? He never lets you out of his sight."

Misao shrugged. "He's in Kyoto trying to hunt down a killer, there were five men killed yesterday for no apparent reason. The only thing they had in common was the giant X cut across their chests."

Kenshin's head snapped around as the conversation drifted to him. Spearing Misao with his amber-flecked gaze he murmured, "What did you say?"

Misao paled at the look in his eyes as a twinge of fear twisted in her chest. This was the first time in the four months she'd known him that she found herself truly afraid of him. That was the famed Hitokiri Battousai coming to the surface. Shifting her eyes she caught the cross-shaped scar on his cheek and an almost audible click echoed in her mind.

"Oh..." she muttered to herself, shocked that she hadn't put the two together already.

Kenshin turned his attention back down into the shattered box. Someone had gone to a lot of trouble to catch his attention. The memory of Tomoe's delicate smile that she had reserved just for him flashed through his mind, awakening an ache in his chest. They _will_ regret ever touching something this precious.

"When do we leave?" He asked in a cold detached voice, his attention still fixed on the shimmering marble.

"The train leaves in two hours, will Kaoru be back by then?" Misao asked hesitantly, afraid to upset him again.

Hearing Kaoru's name was like a slap in the face, snapping Kenshin out of his dark musings as a heaviness settled in his chest. His eyes returned to their violet hue as her bright smile flashed before his eyes. Followed closely by Saitou's parting words. _Don't leave Tokyo anytime soon, Battousai, or you may regret it._

Blood began dripping from his battered left hand as he tightened it into a fist. He needed to know _why_ but now he didn't have enough time now to hunt down the Wolf for his answer.

"Hey, Kenshin, what's happened? Where are you going?" Yahiko asked in confusion. Leaning over Misao whispered to him all that had happened in Kyoto the day before. Yahiko's eyes grew wide at the desecration of Tomoe's gravestone.

"I'm going with you, Kenshin, they can't get away with this!" Yahiko shouted angrily.

"No, Yahiko, I need you to stay here and watch over Kaoru for me while I'm gone." Kenshin replied evenly, as he rose and made to enter the dojo. Stopping just shy of the door, he glanced back over his shoulder, "Go find Sano and bring him here."

Shifting his attention to Misao, he added, "Kaoru will be back before we leave." And with that he entered the dojo leaving the two of them standing confused in the yard.

For a beat Yahiko simply stared at the place Kenshin had been, surprised by the lack of sessha before he cast a quick glance to Misao. Then he took off out the gate hoping he would be able to find the roosterhead before Kenshin left.

Misao, left alone in the front yard, made her way to the steps and sat down to wait for Kaoru pondering the last statement Kenshin had made to Yahiko. Why would he need to stay and watch over Kaoru, she could take care of herself, her father had trained her after all.

On silent feet Kenshin made his way to his room and set down the broken remnants of the box and its contents on the otherwise empty desk facing the window. With a nonchalance that belied the churn of emotions within he sat down to pick out the slivers of wood embedded in his hand. Once done, he cleaned his palm then wrapped it tightly with some bandages and flexed it carefully. That would have to do for now. Finishing with his task, he lifted his eyes to gaze out the window and watched as the clouds thickened quickly, the promise of rain heavily lacing the wind. A fleeting thought skittered across his mind as he watched the first raindrop fall from the sky.

Maybe he should take her with him, she could stay at the Aoiya with the rest of the Oniwabanshu, they were like family to her anyway.

A dry chuckle escaped his throat as he shook his head. There was no way she would simply stay at the Aoiya. The memory of the time she'd tracked him down at the river surfaced in his mind, showing the truth of his thoughts. It had given Jin'e the opportunity to snatch her right out from underneath his nose, almost resulting in her death. A cold shiver flashed through him at the memory of her choking before his eyes, but still pleading with him not to kill the bastard so he could stay true to his vow. He still had the blue hair ribbon she had given to him that day tucked away in his gi, never going anywhere without it. He wasn't about to give the one who was looking for him the opportunity to do the same thing by taking her with him. She would be safer here.

With a weary sigh, Kenshin rose and made his way over to the small pile of clothing Kaoru had given him that had once belonged to her father. She'd been horrified to find that the only garments he owned were the ones on his back. As soon as she had realized that she'd immediately gone out to see if she could find him some others when he'd agreed to stay. Not many of them fit, her father being about a foot taller than him, but the thought behind the gesture had warmed his heart. Grinning to himself he packed some of the clothes away in his small bag and prepared for the trip to Kyoto, hoping he would be able to find the one who seemed to want his attention quickly so he could get back here as soon as possible. The nagging feeling that Kaoru was in danger still throbbed dully in his chest. The less time he was gone, the better.

_**oooooooooooooooooo**_

Kaoru ran as fast as she could through the muddy streets, trying to dodge the raindrops that seemed to be hell bent on turning her into a drowned rat. Seeing the dojo gate ahead she put on one more burst of speed and skidded to a halt just before the door, flinging it open she ran for the cover of the porch not seeing Misao perched on the steps.

"Kaoru!" Misao squealed as she rose to stand right in her path.

Surprised Kaoru tried unsuccessfully to stop her forward motion. Slamming into Misao, they both tumbled back onto the porch in a tangle of limbs and bumped heads. Recovering from the impact, Kaoru sat up slowly rubbing the hip she knew would have a beautiful purple bruise blossoming on it in just a few minutes.

Grimacing at the dull throb in her side, Kaoru tilted her head to the side curiously and asked, "Misao...what are you doing here?"

Misao shifted nervously, her enthusiasm draining quickly. "You might want to talk to Kenshin" she hedged. She really didn't want to be the one to deliver the news to her best friend.

Kaoru gave her a quizzical look and rose from the porch. "Okay, I'll be right back." Making her way to Kenshin's room, an uneasiness settled into her stomach as she neared the open door causing her steps to falter. She knew, even before she saw him packing his clothes, that he was leaving. Steeling herself for what she would find, Kaoru closed the last few feet to the doorway and simply stood there watching silently as he packed the small bag she'd found for him in the storehouse at the same time she'd unearthed the clothes.

"You're leaving." She stated after a moment in a dead voice, the pain of that announcement digging deeply into her heart.

Kenshin paused in his packing before he murmured, "Hai." He kept his answer simple; afraid she would attempt to come with him if she knew the whole truth.

The shell Kaoru had built around herself to save her from the agony of this moment shattered at his agreement and she hung her head as she leaned heavily against the doorframe. Tears burned her eyes, blurring the smooth wood beneath her feet. This was it, the end she had been so afraid of.

Kenshin nearly winced at the waves of sorrow he now felt emanating off of Kaoru and he glanced up to see the broken way she was standing in the doorway. Water dripped from her drenched ponytail that hung listlessly over her shoulder, the drops splashing soundlessly in the growing puddle at her feet. The utterly lost picture she made tore at his heart, shattering any hope of keeping the distance he wanted between them. Running a hand through his fiery locks, he finally accepted what his heart had been telling him for so long as he gazed at her forlorn stance. He wanted her, and nothing was going to stop him anymore, in his self-inflicted restraint he had been hurting her as well. Determination, of a sort he hadn't allowed himself to feel in a long time, came to the forefront as he finally took hold of this chance to take what was before him.

With ease he rose from the floor and walked over to lift her chin, gazing deeply into her misery-filled, watery sapphire eyes.

"I will return, Kaoru, this is my home," he murmured softly, putting as much of his heart into those words as he could. "No," he amended, "_You_ are my home."

Kenshin smiled as the light he had extinguished earlier began to shine in Kaoru's eyes again and he leaned in to slowly placed his lips softly against hers, hoping she would accept what he was offering.

For a long moment, Kaoru stood absolutely still, stunned yet filled to nearly bursting with unadulterated hope by his words and his actions. Hesitantly she leaned into the kiss, still not quite believing this was happening. That simple gesture was all that was needed to turn the tentative kiss into something much more passionate. A knot of fire blossomed in Kaoru's belly as their lips parted and met again, exploring and tasting one another. Unconsciously her arms slipped around him and she held him close, feeling his increased heartbeat matching hers, his heat seeping into her body.

Clasping her tightly to him, Kenshin ignored the wetness soaking into his gi and simply relished the feel of her in his arms, savoring the taste of her lips so soft and receptive under his. Finally the need for air drove him to pull back and he leaned his forehead against hers to catch his breath, inhaling deeply the scent of jasmine that always surrounded her. "I will come back, Kaoru. I promise."

Unable to find her voice, Kaoru simply nodded, still trying to completely comprehend what had just happened, wondering if it had all been a dream.

"Well, don't you two make a cute picture." Sano drawled into the quiet, breaking the magical moment.

Both of them snapped their heads around at the sound of Sano's voice and Kaoru flushed a deep red at the amused look painted on his face.

"Took you two long enough," the ex-fighter said eyeing them both. "So what did you want to see me about? Yahiko said something about you leaving. Why?"

Kenshin released his hold on Kaoru, feeling the lack of her touch keenly as she did the same. Turning to Sano he only answered the first question. "I need you to stay at the dojo and look after Kaoru while I'm gone."

"Look after me? Why?" Kaoru piped up with a quizzical look.

Kenshin slipped on a fake smile to hide his worry and met her eyes, "I want you to be safe and Sano can beat up just about anyone who might decide to bother you."

"Hey Kenshin, we have to go!" Misao suddenly yelled from the porch.

Kaoru jumped at the sound of her voice, ashamed that she had forgotten her best friend on the porch. Casting one last look at Kenshin she flashed him a shy smile and rushed out to join her.

Once Kaoru was gone, Sano turned a knowing look on Kenshin, his expression serious. "Okay, Kenshin, where are you going and why?"

Kenshin took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his bangs. "Someone is out to destroy both me and all I hold precious, so I have to go to Kyoto for a few days." He vaguely replied. "I need you to stay with Kaoru at all times...protect her for me."

Sano pinned him with a hard look. "Why?"

Kenshin frowned then shrugged as he met the tall man's dark eyes, "It's just a feeling I have...don't leave her alone."

For a heartbeat, Sano simply stared at the redhead, confused by the request while noting the lack of his 'unworthy one' facade. With a shrug, the ex-fighter cracked his knuckles loudly. "If that's what you want. But... you sure you don't want me to come with you?"

Kenshin smiled half-heartedly and shook his head then turned back into his room to retrieve his bag. Casting one last look around, his eyes came to rest on the remains of the headstone. She didn't deserve this, he would make it right. With a soft sigh he slid the door closed behind him and walked out to meet Misao who was currently screaming "I...AM...NOT...A...WEASEL" at the top of her lungs.

Silently stepping out onto the porch Kenshin smirked at the sight of Yahiko dodging the expertly flung kunai Misao was launching at him. Kaoru was doing her best to hold back the very irate ninja while at the same time trying to steal the remaining kunai before the smaller woman had a chance to throw them. After retrieving his sakabatou from where he'd left it, he came to stand beside the two women and quietly asked, "Are you ready to go, Misao?"

Misao immediately left off her attempts to get free and turned to look at him. "Hai, just let me collect my kunai," she easily replied as if she hadn't just been trying to turn Yahiko into a pin cushion. Then she shot out into the yard, whacking the boy on the head with the butt of one as she passed.

With a smile, Kenshin turned to Kaoru and placed a hand on her cheek, caressing her soft skin gently with his callused thumb. "I'll be back soon...wait for me."

Kaoru was caught off balance once again by his drastic change and she simply nodded. A warmth spread out into her body from the cheek his hand touched, heating her until she was afraid she'd melt from the sensation.

Kenshin grinned at the blush now dusting her cheeks and he dropped his hand then made his way out to where Misao stood next to the gate waiting for him. Casting one last look over his shoulder at Kaoru, who was now flanked by Sano and Yahiko, he felt a small knot of apprehension twist in his stomach. Was he doing the right thing leaving her behind? Shaking his head, he shoved the unease into the deepest part of his mind and embraced the cold determination rising in his chest. Yes he was. Whoever did this could come here looking for him, it's better to face them away from here where she'll be safe.

With his internal battle settled Kenshin walked out the gate, heading to Kyoto to deal with the one who dared to desecrate his beloved wife's grave.

_**ooooooooooooooooo**_

Unseen by all in the dojo, a man sat in the window of the building across the street and watched the events unfold before him. A slow smile crept across his face as he watched Battousai walk away leaving his prey virtually unprotected...now all he had to do was wait for just the right moment.


	6. Freedom Lost

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

Chapter 5 - Freedom Lost

Kaoru circled the dojo for the fifth time in the dying light, humming to herself as she tried to force her mind to wrap around the truth of what had happened that afternoon between her and Kenshin. She was still having a hard time believing he'd actually kissed her. Running a finger along her lower lip she could still feel the pressure of his against hers. The fire that had ignited in the pit of her stomach lit again at the memory...or was it a dream? She couldn't tell.

Coming to the front gate again, she cast a wistful look at the closed door, wishing fervently that it would open and Kenshin would be standing there with his rurouni smile plastered on his face. She inwardly groaned, Kami, woman, he's only been gone for a couple of hours! she admonished herself, trying to fight the growing loneliness that was threatening to swallow her. You'd think she couldn't live without him!

The truth is she was tempted to go pack her things and take the next train to Kyoto, but the imposing figure of Sano sitting on the front steps stopped her. She'd already tried to get him to go with her but for some reason he'd flat out refused which confused her. He was always looking for a good fight. He'd also stated that if she tried to go on her own he would simply hunt her down and tie her up in her room until Kenshin came back. The image that had created in her mind had stayed any type of quiet escape she had been planning.

Pivoting on her heels she walked over and sat down beside her self proclaimed guardian. Fixing her eyes on the gate again she asked, "Why did Kenshin go to Kyoto?"

Sano swung his head around seemingly surprised by the question. "He didn't tell you?"

"No." Kaoru muttered without looking at him.

"Well you two _were_ a little busy," Sano noted with a grin. "I can see how it may have slipped his mind."

Kaoru flushed a deep red at the memory. Getting control of her wayward emotions, she speared him with a withering glare, "Shut up, roosterhead, now why did he go?"

Sano shrugged and turned his attention back out to the yard. "Yahiko told me that his wife's grave had been defiled, Aoshi sent the only piece left of her headstone with Misao...it seems one of his enemies wanted to have a little chat."

An icy chill swept through Kaoru and she shivered in the warm late evening air. She knew all about Kenshin and Tomoe, one day when she'd asked about his scar he had told her everything that had happened to the two of them. She still remembered well the pain in his voice when he told her how Tomoe had died by his hand while trying to save him. She'd known then that she would never have a place in his heart, Tomoe held it fast even in death. Kaoru had wanted to be jealous but she couldn't, they had gone through so much together.

A dull ache began to pulse steadily in her chest as the reason why he'd left so quickly became clear. She fought back the tears that threatened to spill over at the thought of the agony he must be going through. Rising silently Kaoru started to make her way to her room when Sano laid a hand on her shoulder.

"He's going to come back Jou-chan, he loves you." He assured her, misunderstanding the unshed tears in her eyes.

Kaoru simply shook her head and pulled away, turning to make her way into the dojo. Kenshin had said she was home but now she knew what she had thought it meant wasn't the truth. Tomoe held his heart and always would, the only thing she would be to him was a friend. Someone that could ease the loneliness, perhaps. The ache intensified as she walked by his empty room. Laying a hand on the door the tears finally won out and began tracing wet paths down her face, turning she padded to her room and sat down on her futon and gave into the shattered hopes she'd harbored in her heart.

Sometime later Kaoru took a deep breath and dragged herself out of her thoughts as she wiped the tears from her cheeks, locking down the pain that continued to stab through her. Resolving to not wallow in her private misery she lit the candle resting on the desk. Her eyes fell to the box nearby, its stubborn lock still held against her prying fingers. She had hoped that they would find the lost key today during their total upheaval of the dojo, but she'd had no such luck. It was starting to get to the point where she wanted to take something and smash the lock but the box was so beautifully done it seemed a shame to destroy it. There was only one place left she hadn't fully checked, the rest of the crates in the storehouse.

Fingering the annoying piece of metal her curiosity and the need to do something to keep herself occupied finally got the best of her. Quickly rising from the floor she grabbed the candle and slipped out into the dark night, making her way over to the storehouse. Determination to find the key that would unlock her family's secret giving her a purpose. Halfway to her destination she was shocked out of her skin when a voice suddenly sounded in the empty yard.

"Hey Jou-chan whatcha doin'?"

Kaoru choked back the screech she nearly set loose and clutched her chest with her free hand in an effort to keep her thundering heart from jumping out of her flesh. Spinning around, she searched the area trying to find the baka who seemed to want to put her in her grave early. The slight glow of his white shirt by the door to the training hall gave him away and she stomped over and whacked him soundly on the chest.

"What are you trying to do kill me?" She growled angrily.

"Ouch Jou-chan, you didn't have to hit me," Sano grumbled, rubbing his abused chest. "Just wanted to know what you were doing?"

Kaoru took a deep breath to settle her nerves and regarded him silently in the light of the candle she still held. The, ironically, innocent expression on his face told her of his sincerity and she smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, you just scared me. I'm going to go look for something in the storehouse, want to help?"

"Don't you think it's a little late for that?" he asked, casting a glance at the overcast, darkening sky.

Kaoru shrugged. "Couldn't sleep, so are you going to help me?"

"Can't you wait until Yahiko gets back? He should be back soon, unless Tsubame manages to keep him for the night." He replied his eyebrows wagging up and down.

"Sano..." Kaoru grated menacingly, "didn't I tell you not to tease him about her!"

Sano threw up his hands in mock defense, "Hey, I'm not teasing _him_ now am I?"

A small chuckle escaped Kaoru's lips. "No, I guess you're not this time."

Sano smirked at that.

"So will you help me," Kaoru asked, pasting on a pleading look with the sweetest smile she could dig up. "There's a lot of stuff to go through?"

Sano crumbled under the look. "Okay, okay, I'll help." he grumbled in defeat as he rose and headed for the storehouse, "But if we don't find what you're looking for in an hour you're on your own."

"So what are we looking for?" he asked over his shoulder.

Walking past him, Kaoru opened the door and set the candle in the middle of the floor to illuminate the shelves. "A key, I found a box that used to be my mom's, but it's locked. The key has to be here somewhere and I need it."

"A key in _here_, you've got to be kidding! " Sano exclaimed in disbelief as he scanned the many shelves stocked full of crates. "This is gonna take more than an hour!"

Kaoru shot him a deadly glare but kept quiet. Grabbing the first crate she set it down and started sifting through its contents. A tiny smile played across her lips when she heard him do the same.

_**ooooooooooooooooo**_

Sitting in the tree twenty feet from where his prey and the ex-fighter were, the watcher couldn't believe his luck. What he'd seen so far of this so called fighter made him believe that there wouldn't be much of a challenge in retrieving his boss' prize. A sinister gleam came into his mismatched eyes. But it might be fun to sharpen his blade on the man anyway if he attempted to get in his way.

_**ooooooooooooooooo**_

"Hey Jou-chan your hour's up, I'm going to bed, how about you?"

Kaoru looked up from the crate she was currently tearing apart and shook her head. "No, I'm not tired yet...I'll be in soon." They hadn't found the key yet, but she had a feeling it was in here somewhere and she wasn't ready to give up just yet.

Sano dipped his head and replied, "Alright, g'night," before leaving the storehouse and heading towards his room. A huge yawn cracked his jaw as he reached the porch and he was just about to disappear into the dojo for some much needed rest when the feeling of being watched suddenly tingled along the back of his neck. Stopping a foot from the entryway, he casually turned around to search the area, his eyes scanning every shadow in the yard. As far as he could tell it was completely empty but the feeling of being watched continued to tingle across his skin. Moving off the porch he made his way slowly through the yard searching every inch of the grounds as subtly as he could as he made toward the gate. Not finding anyone hiding in the shadows Sano checked the latch on the main door, securing it before he made his way back over to the porch. With a stretch he sat down and leaning against the wall facing the storehouse feigning sleep, and waited for the silent watcher to make an appearance.

Oblivious to the possible intruder outside, Kaoru set the crate she had been going through back on the shelf and scanned the shelves again, the hopelessness of the search sinking into her bones. She was never going to find it in here. With a sigh she lifted the next one and was surprised to see a long wrapped bundle sitting on the shelf behind it. Eyeing it curiously for a moment she suddenly remembered that Saitou had given that to her when he'd told her about her father dying to save the cop's life. A fresh shot of pain stabbed through her heart at the memory. She hadn't even opened the bundle at the time but instead had put it in here to gather dust and hide the memories. A futile attempt at best.

Lifting it down from its resting place on the shelf Kaoru set it down gently on the floor and began peeling the wrappings away. Slowly she uncovered the sheathed katana that her father had only carried when he'd gone out to help the police in some investigation. That day he had left to help Saitou track down a murderer who was killing off highly placed government officials, throwing everyone into a panic. When they had found the murderer Saitou had immediately attacked the assassin but what he and her father hadn't known was that there were actually two of them working together. The second one had come at the cop's unprotected back but was stopped by her father just in time. Yet the action had driven the second assassin to attack her father instead and the man had turned his blade on her father driving the dagger deeply into her father's chest, piercing one of his lungs. It hadn't taken Saitou long to kill the one man but by then it had been too late for her father. The second had made his escape when he'd seen his partner fall to the cop's blade and as far as she knew Saitou still hadn't found that man, although the killings had ceased after that.

With shaking hands Kaoru drew the blade as memories of her father practicing with it surfaced in her mind. Watching the flickering light of the candle dance across its shiny length a single tear escaped her eye and threaded its way down her cheek. A soft glittering from the hilt caught her attention out of the corner of her eye and she moved it so she could see what it was that was catching the light. She inhaled sharply when she saw the silver chain wrapped around the hilt with a small brass key twinkling in the dancing light. Her grief fading back at the find.

For a moment she eyed it confused, why would it be here? And then it fully hit her that she had finally found and she shrugged as excitement welled up in her chest. Quickly unwinding the chain she undid the clasp and put it on before sheathing and rewrapping the katana. Setting the blade it back on the shelf in its previous resting place, she silently promised herself to retrieve it in the morning and place it with the family shrine within the dojo as was proper.

With a smile, she hurriedly grabbed the candle and stepped out of the storehouse to head to her room where the box lay waiting. So lost in her happiness she didn't see the figure drop out of the tree and race towards her. Suddenly Kaoru's instincts screamed in her head to look behind her and she spun around just in time to come face to face with the horrifying set of eyes she'd ever seen. Dropping the candle she dodged out of the way of his reach as a terrified yelp ripped from her throat, landing heavily on her already bruised hip. She bit her lip to stifle the groan of pain that threatened to escape and was just about to shout for Sano when a soft scraping sound drew her attention and she peeked over her shoulder.

"So you finally decided to come out of hiding." Sano said cracking his knuckles loudly as he stepped off the porch. "What took you so long?"

Kaoru sagged in relief and glanced at her attacker as she tried in vain to rise on her numbed leg. She tried not to shiver when she met the mismatched eyes drilling into her, the silent threat in them promising pain and suffering if she so much as moved a muscle.

And then much to her relief the man swung his attention back to Sano and smiled. "This might prove interesting." Then in next moment the man shot forward so fast that his form blurred into a shadow, his now unsheathed katana slashing downwards at Sano's shoulder intent on cleaving the ex-fighter in two.

Sano watched unfazed as the shadow flew towards him and with a smile ducked out of range of the katana then pivoted, putting his hands flat on the ground to steady himself he shot out his leg with all the force he could muster and slammed his foot square in the middle of the shadow. The stunned man grunted loudly and flew backwards from the force of the blow, landing hard on the unforgiving ground.

Sano grinned menacingly. "You can't defeat me with those moves, I've fought Battousai and you are nothing next to him."

The man sneered at the comment, switched the katana to his left hand, and shot forward again.

Sano simply waited for the attack and easily danced back out of the blade's reach as it swept in to gut him. Then, with a roar, he drove his fist into the man's shoulder as hard as he possibly could and grinned wide when he felt bones crack beneath his onslaught. Yet, what he hadn't expected was for the man to keep coming. Forced back a step by the man's momentum Sano was just about to swing his other fist when he saw a second blade in the man's right hand a split second before it bit into his hip. Sano stiffened, a hiss of agony tearing from his throat, as the blade sliced a deep line diagonally up his torso and then the dagger was thrust ruthlessly into his shoulder. His breath caught hard in his throat as the blade sliced though the muscle, his arm spasming painfully before it went limp at his side. By sheer force of will he managed to remain on his feet as the man pushed away from him but then his knees suddenly gave out and he fell to the ground as inky blackness rose up to engulf him, the excruciating pain driving him to slip into the promised relief of oblivion.

Horrified, Kaoru watched with widened eyes as the tall man crumbled to the ground.

"_SANO!_" she cried out as she pushed to her feet. Gritting her teeth against the pins and needles prickling down her leg she hurried to his side and dropped down beside him. Hauling his upper body into her lap she ignored the wetness soaking into her hakama and started to cry as the pool of blood continued to grow around them, the sharp metallic choking the breath from her lungs. To her surprise, Sano's eyes inched open as her tears dripped onto his face and he attempted to give her a reassuring smile but failed miserably. "Gomen...Jou-chan," he whispered weakly, before his eyes slid closed again, his breathing becoming ragged.

A sudden anger sparked deep in Kaoru's chest and she laid Sano down gently then wiped the tears from her face and slowly stood before she spun on the grinning bastard standing five feet away from her. "Why did you come here? What do you want?" She screamed at the top of her lungs as she raced towards him, her fury spurring her reckless movements. Fear completely buried beneath the drive to inflict pain on the one who would harm her friend so.

The man simply stood and watched her come, his grin widening at her carelessness. Just as she came into reach, he snapped out his hand and grabbed her roughly around the neck.

Kaoru knew she had made a mistake as soon as she felt his hand close around her throat. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him raise his katana before he replied in a cold voice, "Just came to collect you and take you home." And then before she could so much as raise a fist he slammed the hilt into her temple. Kaoru stiffened at the sharp pain and inwardly murmured, Gomen...nasai...Kenshin, as she fell into the awaiting darkness.

A triumphant smile split the man's face and he hefted her limp weight onto his uninjured shoulder, then headed for the front gate where the carriage awaited him. He was about three feet from the door when he was stopped dead in his tracks as the gate swung open, a small figure silhouetted in the doorway. Ah, this must be the boy...

True to the man's thoughts, Yahiko stood in the doorway and peered at the shadowed figure standing before him with a body slung over its shoulder. The soft nickering of the horses behind him was the only sound as he took in what he was seeing. It didn't take him long to realize just who it was slung over the figure's shoulder. In one fluid motion he drew his bokken and took up his stance as he growled, "Let her go _now_!"

The man simply grinned mockingly at him and Yahiko saw red. Shooting forward he raised his bokken as he neared the still figure and slashed downwards but the intruder simply sidestepped out of the way and shot out his arm and grabbed Yahiko's collar, flinging him into the wall surrounding the dojo.

Yahiko winced as he crashed painfully into the solid wood. Rising slowly he ignore the pain screaming down his arm from his injured shoulder and reclaimed his bokken then flew towards the still figure again. However the damage to his shoulder began to go numb his hand and just as he came within range of the shadowed figure it gave out and he dropped the bokken, his forward motion continuing to carry him into the man's reach. The intruder took immediate advantage and snap out his hand again to catch Yahiko around the neck and lifted him off the ground.

"Do you want to die today, kid?" The man asked sarcastically.

Yahiko struggled weakly then paled when the man's insane mismatched eyes locked with his. He had never seen eyes like this before, one was almost completely black and the other was an unholy white with just a hint of a pupil in the center. A shiver passed through him as he tried to break the gaze. Scowling at his weakness he grated out, "Where are you taking her?"

The man grinned and dragged Yahiko closer to his face, "Home."

And with that he threw the boy into the wall again and walked out the gate without a backwards glance. Loading his burden into the carriage, he locked the door and vaulted into the seat. With one last glance to the silent dojo, he set the horses into motion and flew through the empty streets intent on getting his prize to his master as quick as possible.

At the clattering of hooves, Yahiko forced himself off the ground and stumbled to the gate. Glancing both ways he saw the carriage vanish out of sight to the right and fisted his hand so tightly that his knuckles turned white. With a scowl he turned to search the dojo for Sano who was suppose to have been on guard tonight. How could the roosterhead let Kaoru be taken like that? Kenshin was going to kill them for sure when he found out!

But all worry of what the redhead would do to them when he heard the news flew out of Yahiko's head when he spied Sano's prone figure lying in a black puddle in the yard where the storehouse stood. Stumbling as fast as his body would let him he hurried over and knelt down beside the fallen man. His eyes widened when he caught sight of the nasty gash cut across his chest and the dagger sticking out of his shoulder. Oh, gods, there was no way Sano could have survived the loss of that much blood! Yet, upon closer inspection, Yahiko noticed Sano's chest rising and falling, his breathing coming in short gasps.

A surge of relief shot violently through his veins as he gazed at the battered man fighting for his life. "Hang on, Sano!" he whispered vehemently to the unconscious man, "I'll be right back with Dr. Genzai and Megumi." Shooting to his feet he raced out of the dojo, the pain that continued to course through his own body nearly forgotten in his desperation. Only two thoughts gave him strength now, the hope he would get back in time to save the man who was like a brother to him and that somehow someone would know how to get Kaoru back.

_**ooooooooooooooooo**_

Several miles outside of Tokyo, Kaoru rose slowly out of the darkness, the steady pounding in her head insistently dragging her from unconsciousness. Distantly, she felt a tacky wetness coating her legs as she opened her eyes to complete blackness. A violent jostling slammed her head against the surface she was sprawled across, ripping a groan from her throat as stars danced before her eyes. Slowly sitting up she rubbed her aching head and took note of surroundings. An icy chill swept through her body when she realized she was in a moving carriage that seemed to be speeding along a broken path, heading towards some unknown destination.

Absently laying a hand on her damp leg, she tried to remember what it could be and why it was there, and then all of a sudden the memory of what had happened came crashing viciously through her mind. Despite the darkness she knew that what she was feeling was the stickiness of Sano's blood that had soaked into her hakama. A strangled sob ripped from her throat as tears began rolling down her face. Was he alive? Was he dead?

Another violent jarring of the carriage wrenched her out of her misery and she wiped the wetness from her cheeks and took stock of her own predicament. There was nothing she could do for Sano now, she could only hope that the fighter was strong enough to survive. Testing the door, she wasn't surprised to find it locked. Scooting over to the other side of the carriage she glanced out the window and saw the shadowed forms of trees rushing by and knew that they must be on some long unused path deep in a forest from the jostling every so often. Kaoru scowled, Scowling Kaoru she really only had two options at the moment. First, she could go quietly to wherever the carriage was taking her or she could attempt to break open the door and vanish into the forest. Not really a choice at all because she had no intention of finding out where they were going.

Decision made, Kaoru slid down onto the floor, bracing herself she slammed her bare foot into the door and winced as a stab of pain shot up her leg, however the door hadn't given an inch. With a growl, she slammed it again as hard as she could and this time she felt the door give slightly under the pressure this time. Heartened by the success, she continued to batter the door with her foot feeling the door give a little bit more with each hit.

All of a sudden she found herself thrown to the side as the carriage skidded to a halt. Righting herself slowly, her heart began thundering in her chest when she heard the heavy landing of the one driving the carriage as he jumped out of the seat. Oh kami, this was it. She was done for now. Anxiously waiting for the door to open Kaoru scooted backwards until her back was flush against the wall and tried to keep from passing out as blood hammered through her body. A moment later the door slammed open and she was faced once again with the menacing gaze of the bastard who had tried to kill Sano, his mismatched eyes boring straight through her.

A sadistic grin slid across his face. "I see you're awake."

Kaoru simply stared at him, fighting the fear he'd set rushing through her veins. And then she saw the opportunity for escape he had so kindly laid before her.

A tiny smile curled Kaoru's lips as she lunged towards him and kicked out her right leg; slamming her heel directly into his almost pure white eye. Almost snarling she drove it as hard as she could, snapping his head back violently. When he fell she flew out of the carriage and ran for all she was worth, heedless of the stones and sticks that were tearing through the soft soles of her feet, leaving a bloody trail behind.

Several yards into the forest she began to think her escape had succeeded when an arm suddenly snaked around her middle stopping her dead in her tracks. A katana swung around and pressed tightly against her neck forcing her head to fall back to avoid having her throat slit. Her panting breaths of desperation and fear seemed to fill the night as she clutched at the arm that held the katana.

"Do that again, bitch, and I _will_ gut you." Her captor growled menacingly directly into her ear, just before the katana moved from her throat and slammed into her head again forcing her into unconsciousness again.

Her limp body dropped to the ground as the man released her, his curses snarling the very air. Sheathing the blade he gingerly pressed fingertips the abused flesh with a hiss, his eye throbbed from the savage violence she had inflicted on it. Finally, with a growl, he picked up her prone body and carried her back to the carriage, wishing fervently that he could just drive his katana through her heart and be done with her.

_**ooooooooooooooooo**_

Just as the sun began peeking over the mountains, the carriage reached the compound and the man hauled the horses to a halt before the tunnel before hopping down to retrieve his package. He was sore tempted to fling her over his shoulder again but instead cradled her in his arms and made his way into the mansion heading straight for the throne room. He wanted nothing more than to rid himself of this nuisance as fast as he could.

Coming to the closed door he waited for it to slide open, as soon as it did he made his way directly towards the seated figure on the dais.

"Shishio-sama." He said, in a low voice, bowing the best he could with Kaoru in his arms.

"I see you succeeded in acquiring my angel." Shishio remarked, as he rose and strolled towards them. "Well done, Razan."

Peering closer at the woman in Razan's arms Shishio gave him an inquiring look, red flashing into his eyes as his face darkened. "Why is she covered in blood, I said she was to come to me unharmed?" his asked, voice taut with restrained ire.

"It's not her blood," Razan hastened to assert. "It's the fighter's."

"Ah..." Shishio murmured. "So you were able to have a little fun, but it seems the fighter managed to get a hit in on you too" He noted, eyeing the growing black eye that decorated Razan's face vividly.

Razan scowled viciously and glared at him. "That was her doing...she tried to escape."

A sadistic gleam came into Shishio's eyes as a smile crept across his features. "She is truly a spirited one then. That will make things more... interesting... when I break her." Gazing intently at the girl's sleeping face he pulled the ribbon from her hair, allowing her gold kissed raven locks to cascade free."She _is_ one of Akiko's blood...Aiko has failed."

Shishio turned and made his way back to the dais. "Take her to the room I have had prepared beside mine."

Seating himself again Shishio shifted his eyes to the woman standing in the shadows. "Yumi, follow Razan and clean her up."

Yumi leveled a hard glared on him before she followed Razan out. Once alone in the growing light, a malicious grin formed on Shishio's bloodless lips. "You are mine now, Kamiya Kaoru...and when I am done with you there will be nothing that will be able to take you from me...not even the Hitokiri Battousai."


	7. Realizations

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

Chapter 6 – Realizations

Kenshin stared blindly at the dirt passing under his feet as he walked through the steadily brightening streets of Kyoto, trying to quiet the nagging feeling that had settled into the back of his mind when he'd heard Kaoru's voice on the train last night. A knot of anxiety curled in his stomach, remembering the softly whispered entreaty that had suddenly echoed in his mind as he'd watched the darkened landscape pass by. _Gomen...nasai...Kenshin_. Her voice had shocked him so badly he'd searched the entire car for her. It had taken all of his strength to fight the urge to jump off the train and rush back to Tokyo to make sure she was okay. A heaviness settled in his chest as his feet continued to carry him towards the reason he was here, Kaoru's voice whispering over and over in his mind, the feeling that he'd made a terrible mistake continuing to grow with each step.

Finally, he dragged his eyes off the ground and looked up to find himself before the graceful arches of the cemetery that held Tomoe's grave. His chest tightened slightly as he stared through the entrance at all the headstones marching off into the distance. It had been ten years since he'd come to Kyoto to visit her grave and now someone had used it to leave him a message. Fisting his bandaged hand, he slowly made his way towards her resting place as a soul-searing anger began to simmer deep in his belly. Coming upon what should have been untouchable, his anger exploded into full blown rage and he knelt down to sift through the tiny shards of the obliterated headstone. Most of the pieces littering the area were so small they could be called dust instead.

"Why?" he growled to himself as he fisted a handful of the demolished stone. His rage was so intense that he didn't hear the soft tread of feet come up behind him.

"Battousai."

Kenshin didn't bother to turn around and instead released his hand and absently smoothed the dusty remains, trying to temper his anger. "Do you know who did this yet?" his asked, his voice razor sharp.

"No" Aoshi replied, as he stood gazing over Kenshin's shoulder at the broken mess before them. "We have been unable to find the one who did this or committed the murders."

"Why would they destroy something so sacred?" Kenshin remarked, more to himself than the man behind him. A dull ache replaced his anger as the memories of he and Tomoe's time rose up to invade his thoughts.

"The only answer to that is they wanted you here." The tall man replied evenly.

Kenshin scowled. "Why do this instead of search me out? She is innocent of the deeds I did during the Bakumatsu." He grated angrily, rising to face Aoshi. "This is the act of a coward!"

"That I cannot answer, but they will show themselves now that you are here."

Kenshin frowned, not sure if he believed that anymore. The nagging feeling that continued to throb dully in the back of his mind whispered that he was missing something very important, that everything was not as it seemed. Casting one last glance over his shoulder, he walked past Aoshi and made his way out of the cemetery trying to piece together the puzzle that he couldn't see.

Sensing the tall man come up beside him, Kenshin matched his pace. "Who were the men that were killed?"

"Three were homeless samurai, the other two were shopkeepers," The stoic Okashira answered smoothly. "Nothing to link any of them except the way they were killed."

"Simply chosen at random to force a confrontation." Kenshin whispered softly angry all over again by the heartless act. "We have to find whoever did this quickly. I need to return to Tokyo as soon as possible."

"Why?" Aoshi asked.

Kenshin sighed, "Just a feeling I have, Kaoru needs me there."

"Why would Kaoru-san need you there?" Aoshi asked, clearly surprised, "She can take care of herself."

Taken aback by the familiarity with which the Okashira spoke of Kaoru, Kenshin glanced up at him suspiciously, "What do you know about Kaoru?"

Aoshi shrugged. "Not much. A few years ago her father left her at the Aoiya when he had to attend to some business in Kyoto. That's when she and Misao became good friends." A faint smile came to the stoic man's lips. "I know she's excellent with the bokken but she's too hot tempered to be a ninja. I attempted to train her some when she stayed that time with minimal success."

Kenshin whispered a silent 'ah' then chuckled to himself at the thought of his feisty Kaoru attempting to be stealthy. Aoshi was right, she was much more suited to brandishing her bokken, his head could attest to that.

"That she is." Kenshin finally agreed as he continued to thread his way through the near empty streets of Kyoto.

Within moments they reached Aoiya and Kenshin paused outside the door. "Will you have a new headstone made, she didn't deserve this."

"It's already been taken care of, it will be ready in a couple of weeks." Aoshi replied as he headed inside.

Kenshin murmured his thanks and left the tall man to make his way to the room Misao had designated for his use when they'd in the early hours of the morning. At the time he'd simply dropped his bag in here and left without a word to wander the dark streets, pondering what he'd heard on the train. But now that he was back he sifted through the bag until he found the blue hair ribbon he always carried and tucked it into his gi, needing the feel of it against his skin.

"Himura, there's food prepared if you're hungry?" Misao said from the open door.

Kenshin glanced up to where she leaning against the door frame and nodded as he headed out of the room. He hadn't eaten anything since yesterday morning before he'd left Tokyo. All of a sudden his stomach growled loudly in anticipation and he smiled sheepishly as Misao busted out laughing. Settling down at the low table laden with food, Kenshin filled the bowl laid out for him with some noodles and tucked in as Misao sat down across from him and did the same.

"Why did you say that Yahiko and Sano needed to stay with Kaoru?" Misao asked as she filled her bowl. "Is something going on?"

Kenshin glanced up from his food and looked her square in the eye. Should he tell her? She was one of Kaoru's closest friends, maybe she would know something. "Have you ever seen a faint golden glow surround her?" he asked instead of answering her question.

Misao simply looked at him for a long moment before she nodded. "Yeah, it happened right after she had a wicked headache once. When I told her about it she did some sort of meditation and suddenly the glow was gone. All she said was that both her and her mom had it and she wasn't supposed to talk about it. Why?"

Kenshin frowned. So it _was_ real.

The nagging feeling he'd been feeling since he'd left suddenly intensified as the realization that Kaoru was something truly unique struck him hard. Fixing a hard look on Misao, he pressed, "She never told you why she had it?"

Misao gave him a long suffering look. "She was twelve and I was ten, so really once she told me about her and her mom that pretty much ended the conversation. Besides, I haven't seen it since."

"What happened to her mother?" Kenshin asked suddenly. Kaoru had never really spoken to him of her mother, only her father.

Misao shifted nervously. "She died before I met Kaoru, and she doesn't like to talk about her. I guess it was a painful death, at least that's what Aoshi-sama said."

"I said what?" Aoshi asked, as he entered and sat down beside Misao. His eyes softening a little when he glanced to her. "And didn't I tell you to quit calling me Aoshi-sama" he added, brushing his fingers lightly along her jaw.

Misao's cheeks pinked at the contact. "H..hai Aoshi-sa...Aoshi."

"So, what did I say?" He asked again, smirking at her slip.

"Kaoru's mom died a painful death." Misao mumbled ducking her head to try to hide her embarrassment.

Aoshi shifted his attention to Kenshin and nodded. "She died of tuberculosis, Kaoru was with her when she died and it traumatized her badly. She doesn't talk about it."

Kenshin's brow furrowed and he turned his attention back to his food, wondering how it could be that he'd known her for the last six months but it seemed he really didn't know her at all. What confused him the most was that the glow that had surrounded her was real. He'd never heard of anything like that before in all of his travels. Sifting through everything he'd seen and heard over the past couple of days bits and pieces started to come together. With an almost growing sense of apprehension he slowly realized that maybe what had happened to Tomoe's grave was just a way to draw him away from Kaoru's side.

Suddenly Saitou's warning echoed loudly in his mind again. _Don't leave Tokyo anytime soon Battousai or you may regret it._

"Himura, something wrong?" Misao asked, noticing the sudden still and pale expression on the rurouni's face as he sat frozen in his seat. She would say almost horrified.

The question snapped Kenshin from his thoughts and he raised his eyes as he came to a decision. "I need to go back to Tokyo today."

aoshi seemed taken aback by the statement. "Will you not stay and find those who destroyed your wife's grave?"

Kenshin shook his head and met the Okashira's surprised gaze. "I don't think they're here anymore, I don't think they wanted me in Kyoto...just out of Tokyo instead."

"Why would they want you out of Tokyo?" Aoshi asked confused.

"Because the one they're after is Kaoru", Kenshin stated, knowing as soon as the words fell from his lips that the statement was true. Rising from the table he glanced at Aoshi. "Will you arrange for the train ticket, get it for me as soon as possible."

With a nod Aoshi rose and turned to Misao, "Come with me, I'll give you the money to go purchase the ticket."

With that they split at the door, Kenshin to make one last visit to Tomoe's grave as Misao and Aoshi made the arrangements for his return to Tokyo.

_**oooooooooooooooooo**_

Megumi leaned back on her heels and washed the blood from her hands as she eyed the deathly pale man in front of her. When she and Dr. Genzai had gotten there she had nearly lost all hope when she'd seen the wide pool of blood Sano had been lying in. The wide gash across his chest had revealed the white of his ribs and the dagger had been embedded so deeply in his shoulder that part of the hilt had been driven in. With Yahiko's help they'd managed to move him into the training room and she and Dr. Genzai had set to work. Keeping tight control on her emotions, they moved as fast as they could to stem the flow of blood and stitch him up before he lost too much. It had been a fight the entire time, twice they had almost lost him, but somehow he'd fought tenaciously for life and succeeded.

Now as she gazed at his peaceful face, his breathing finally leveled out, all the emotions she had kept at bay came rushing forward. Her heart twisted painfully and tears began streaming down her face as she realized just how close she'd come to losing this big lug of a man. The only one who'd ever managed to weasel his way into her heart. Wiping them away with the back of her hand she began to rise up when a hand gripped her wrist loosely.

"Where're you going, fox?" Sano whispered, barely able to put voice to the words.

Megumi swung watery eyes to his pale face. A fresh bout of tears spilled down her cheeks as her eyes met his.

Smiling weakly, Sano let go of her wrist and touched his fingertips to her wet cheek. "Don't cry, it's gonna take more than this little scratch to kill me."

Mirroring his smile, Megumi grasped his hand and placed it on his chest once again. "You need to sleep, I'll be back to check your wounds later."

Wiping the tears from her cheeks, she rose and made her way to the door before she completely lost her composure. Just as she started sliding the shoji closed she heard a soft whisper behind her, "I'm not so bad after all, eh fox?"

Smiling to herself she left the room and padded out to where Yahiko sat on the front steps. His body visibly tense, arm wrapped tightly against his side to prevent any more damage to his shoulder. Laying a reassuring hand on his uninjured shoulder she sat down beside him. "He's going to be okay."

Yahiko relaxed somewhat at that, but his insides remained twisted up at the memory of the man's mismatched eyes boring into his. He was sure the man would've killed him without a second thought if he hadn't had Kaoru over his shoulder. The thought of Kaoru being in the hands of that man caused a shiver of dread to race down his spine and he wondered if his adopted sister was okay or if she was dead on the side of the road somewhere. The only reassurance he had that she might be safe was that the man had said he was going to take her home, whatever that meant.

"Have you sent a message to Ken-san yet?" Megumi asked, trying to get his attention off whatever was worrying him.

Yahiko shook his head. "No, I don't know what to say."

Megumi smiled. "Just tell him he needs to come home as soon as possible and leave it at that. Don't worry, he'll come."

With a sigh, Yahiko nodded and rose to head into town to send the letter. Rubbing a fist across his eyes in an attempt to clear his mind of the previous night's events he scowled, they really needed Kenshin back. If anyone could find her, he could. Tugging the gate open he was just about to step out into the street when he caught sight of the stranger standing in front of him staring at the dojo.

"Where's Kamiya?"

Yahiko's highly strung nerves finally broke at the harsh tone. "Who the hell are you and how do you know Kaoru?" he all but shouted at the man.

"That's none of your business." Saitou replied, pushing past the kid into the front yard. Scanning the empty area, his eyes finally came to rest on the woman and her bloody apron. Leveling a hard look on her, he asked "Where's Kamiya?"

"Gone," Megumi replied, glaring right back at him. "She was taken last night by someone who must be after Himura-san."

Quickly realizing what must have occurred, Saitou scowled blackly. "Where's Battousai?" he demanded, already knowing the answer. The idiot had left her unprotected even after he'd warned the redhead not to leave.

"He's gone to Kyoto to settle some business." Megumi replied haughtily, tired of his condescending manner.

"So he left her unprotected." Saitou stated coldly.

Megumi's hackles rose at the bald statement. Angrily, she shot to her feet and strode to where he stood glaring hard into his uncaring face. "She was NOT unprotected. There's a man in there fighting for his life after trying to defend her," she bit out motioning to the dojo. "And Yahiko has a cracked shoulder blade from being thrown around by the bastard who took her!" And then it suddenly hit her, what the man had said she eyed him confused. "What do you mean unprotected, why would she need protection?"

Saitou ignored her question and turned to Yahiko, nailing him with an icy look. "You saw who took her?" When the boy nodded, he pressed, "What did the man look like?"

A shiver whispered down Yahiko's spine at the memory of the man's eyes. "He's about as tall as you and he had really strange eyes. One was almost pure black eye and the other was almost pure white." Yahiko paused, as the memory of what the man had said flashed through his mind. "He said he was taking her home. Do you know what that means?"

Saitou nearly snarled. "So he's got her." he growled more to himself than those in the yard. Ignoring the boy's question, he headed for the gate as his anger burst into full blown rage.

Yahiko grabbed his arm before he could pass and asked, "What do you mean, who's got her, where is she?"

Saitou swung a withering glare to the boy that caused him to let go and said in a dead cold voice. "Get Battousai back here _now_!"

And with that he strode out the gate, his fury simmering as he went over the information he'd just received. If he'd known sooner he could have prevented what was soon to come. Fisting his hand he made his way back to headquarters knowing Battousai would soon be paying him a visit.

_**oooooooooooooooooo**_

Shishio knelt down at the low table in his room and flipped open the journal that had once belonged to his ancestor and reread the passage that promised him his heart's desire. Ginning devilishly, he tried to temper his growing anticipation as he waited for his angel to wake. Soon he would be able to attain such a glorious thing, his heartbeat quickening at the mere thought. Oh, but he knew his angel wasn't about to just give it to him and taking it from her would be half the pleasure.

Feeling Yumi kneel down beside him he turned his eyes to her and saw the murderous glare she was fixing on him. "Are you jealous, my dear?" he purred, lifting a finger to trace her jaw softly. Watching her eyes narrow dangerously he leaned in to mere inches from her full lips and whispered, "You have nothing to worry about, my dear, she's not nearly as beautiful as you. She is simply the vessel holding what should have been mine."

Hearing the soft tread of bare feet pass his door he placed a soft kiss on her lips and rose. "She has awakened, It's time I go welcome her to her ancestral home, we will meet you in the dining room soon."

_**oooooooooooooooooo**_

Kaoru woke slowly from her forced sleep with a dull throb in her head, her thoughts muddled and hazy. Feeling the soft blanket covering her, she snuggled in fully intending to sleep the morning away as long as every left her alone. Yet her head had other ideas and another rather sharp pain woke her even more and she slowly started to realize that the futon beneath her was far too comfortable to be the one she'd slept on all her life. Cracking one eye opened cautiously, she gazed at her surroundings in consternation until it became clear that the elegant room she now rested in was most definitely not hers.

Sitting up as quickly as her sore head would let her, Kaoru took in her surroundings with widened eyes. The wall she was facing was made entirely of wood with a huge sakura tree etched gracefully into the smooth surface, the blossoms carefully painted to look as if they were truly there. Swinging her eyes around the room she noted the low table that rested in front of the shoji that she assumed lead to a porch or garden of some sort. Another wooden mural lay opposite the sakura tree, this one of a gentle waterfall flowing through a heavily wooded area also carved and painted to look like you could reach out and dip your hand in the glimmering pool. A privacy screen stood in the far corner of the room with a large standing chest right beside it she guessed most likely held clothing of some sort.

Turning her attention back to herself she noticed that she was dressed in a thin sleeping yukata made of the softest material she'd ever felt, her hair flowing free around her shoulders. Confused and a little bit worried about how she had come to be dressed like this, Kaoru rose from the futon and grimaced as pain shot up her legs. With a hiss, she glanced to her feet wondering what had happened and then it all came rushing back when she saw her carefully bandaged feet.

A shiver of dread flew through her veins as she fell back to her knees, the mismatched eyes of her captor flashing through her mind. There was no doubt in her mind that she had reached wherever the man had been bringing her to. But the worst part about it was that she had absolutely no idea where she was, who else was about or how long she had been here. Fear threatened to constrict her throat, as she contemplated the reality of her situation. The image of Sano crumpled on the ground flashed through her mind and she almost lifted her hand to see if his blood still stained her fingers. Clenching her hands instead she bit down on her lower lip and narrowed her eyes. There really wasn't any other choice, she had to escape before whoever it was came for her.

Latching onto her new cause like a life line, she pushed everything else out of her mind and rose shakily to her feet again. Quietly making her way to the door and slowly slid it back and sagged in relief when she saw an empty hallway leading away in both directions. Choosing to go right, she silently began walking along the polished wood, careful not to make any noise. Several steps later she rounded a corner and found herself facing an intersection at the end of the hall, corridors leading away in both directions.

Without warning the nightmare from two nights before surfaced, causing a wave of disorientation to pass over her. The feeling of being watched suddenly crawled across her skin as it had that night. With her heart hammering in her chest Kaoru chose the hallway to her right and cautiously glided down it on silent feet, one hand trailing along the wall she stayed close against. The unease grew, as if knowing before she reached it, that the door from her dreams lay ahead. Swallowing to relieve the knot of tension in her gut she let her eyes dart behind her quickly, trying to shake the sense of deja vu. It was almost anticlimactic when she came upon the familiar door. A cold sweat broke out all over her body as she reached out and grasped it, her nerves so taut she was sure the slightest noise would send her over the edge. Sliding it back slowly she heaved a sigh of relief when she saw an actual room beyond.

Taking a moment to settle her nerves, Kaoru stepped into the huge, golden lit chamber that was empty save for the low dais and found her eyes immediately drawn to the painting on the far wall. An undeniable curiosity pushed aside her trepidations and she approached it, almost as if she was drawn across the polished floor. Intent on identifying the figure that seemed to be the focus of the artwork she stepped onto the dais.

Kaoru inhaling sharply and simply gaped at the face of a woman who looked almost exactly like her, even down to the golden highlights in her hair. Lifting a hand to touch the surface she peered closely at the painting and saw in small kanji along the edge, a name she knew, one that caused her eyes to widen in shock... Shishio Aiko.

"It's almost like looking into a mirror isn't it, sweet angel?"

Kaoru's blood froze in her veins as the voice from her nightmare washed over her. His whispered threat echoing loudly in her mind, '_You are mine now...there will be no escape.'_ Slowly turning around she flinched when her eyes came to rest on the owner of the voice. Underneath the clothing the man was heavily bandaged from head to toe, the only visible skin being around his eyes and mouth and that skin blackened. His onyx eyes bored into hers as a smile slowly graced his lips.

"I see you don't find me pleasant to look upon, but don't worry my dear, that will soon change."

"W-w-who are you?" Kaoru stammered, fighting to calm her racing heart. Her mind leaping from the discovery of the painting and the name to the man's appearance to the attack and kidnapping... she knew that it was all coming to a head. Her instincts were screaming for her to run, to get away.

The man moved forward slowly and Kaoru took one step backwards for every one he made towards her until he finally drove her up against the wall. And then he stopped and bowed low. "My name is Shishio Makoto. A direct descendant of the woman you were gazing at, as are you."

Kaoru started. "What?" she asked, surprised out of her fear yet thoroughly confused. Her hand crept up to the brass key hanging around her neck, wishing fervently that she'd been able to open the box. "What do you mean as am I?"

For a long moment Shishio simply gazed at her surprised face, and then he suddenly realized that she didn't know anything about who she truly was. A small chuckle escaped his lips at the discovery, his eyes lighting up at the knowledge that she was going to be much more fun to break this way. Her ignorance and obvious naivety would make the experience that much more gratifying. Deciding to leave her in the dark for the moment, he extended his hand instead. "Please join me for dinner. Food has been prepared, I'm sure you are hungry after your ordeal."

Kaoru shied away from the hand, the thought of being touched by him turning her stomach, and prepared to bolt for the door. Her confusion and fear flooding up again. Lifting her eyes to the only escape route she could see she was just about to bolt for it when the man who'd made her life a misery recently filled the doorway. The look on his battered face inviting her to try to get past him.

Seeing that route blocked she searched the room for some type of weapon to use against them and was greatly disappointed to find the room bare of anything save the painting beside her. In one last effort to escape she sprinted for the shoji doors to the right, hoping they led outside. Desperate enough to gamble the chance that if she could get outside maybe she had a possibility at getting away. Flinging one open she ran out onto a porch and was stopped dead in her tracks by a railing waist high that guarded against a 200 foot plunge to the bottom of the ravine that the porch overlooked.

"There's nowhere to run, sweet angel," she heard Shishio taunt from the doorway, a hint of laughter lacing his voice.

Clenching her teeth in defeat Kaoru fought the tears trying to surface and moved back into the room, brushing past him as she made her way towards the door where the strange eyed man still stood.. Her chin lifted in false bravery she halted a few feet away from her captor, waiting to be lead to the dining area. Her mind swirled with the uncertainty of what her fate was going to be from here on, her heart pounding so hard she was sure they could hear it.

Without a word her captor lead the way and she walked between the two men as they made their way down the hallway. Suddenly the feeling that she was being led to the sacrificial altar with absolutely no means of escape nearly stole her breath away and one lone tear escaped her downcast eyes when her thoughts turned to a particular redheaded rurouni. Her heart clenched painfully and she wondered if she would ever have the chance to see him again.


	8. Bound By Blood

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

Chapter 7 - Bound By Blood

Kaoru sat stiffly at the low table, eyeing Shishio from beneath her bangs as she ate the rice and chicken that had been set before her. The raven haired woman who had grudgingly served her now knelt close at his side, attentive to the bandage-engulfed man's needs.

Ignoring the glares the woman continued to send her way Kaoru tried to see some resemblance between herself and Shishio. Something that would prove the assertion he'd made in the room that housed the painting. The only thing she could see that would possibly link their lineage were the golden highlights peppering the locks of his hair that escaped the bandages wrapped around his head and face.

Unwilling to completely believe she was connected to this man in any way she turned her attention back to her food and tried to figure out why she'd been taken in the first place. The only reason she could see was that he must have a vendetta against Kenshin and hoped to draw him here by taking her. It wouldn't be the first time after all.

Raising her eyes she glanced at him and saw the predatory look he was casting her way, suppressing a shiver she turned her gaze away again. "Why did you take me? Do you hope to draw Kenshin here for a fight?"

A grin slid across Shishio's lips as he gazed at her bowed head. "I must admit it was a pleasant surprise to find you are the Hitokiri Battousai's woman, but no...I wanted you. He has little, if anything, to do with us."

Her head had shot up at his implication. "I am _not_ his woman!" she spat, trying to hide the wound that statement caused. Wishing her own words didn't ring so true.

Seeing the pain she tried to hide, Shishio's eyes gleamed and he twisted the knife deeper. "Does he still mourn his long dead wife then, even when he has such beauty before him?"

Kaoru flinched, the words cutting deep into her heart. She fought the tears that tried to surface, not wanting him to see how much he'd hurt her. "What do you want with me then?" she asked, as her feelings tumbled within.

A low chuckle of amusement at her distress came from Shishio, still he let her change the subject. "That, my dear, I will tell you in due time but for now...is your room acceptable?"

Kaoru gave him an odd look, wondering why he would care if the lodging was acceptable or not, she was his prisoner after all. Trying to not let him see how off-balance he was making her she gave him a small nod and fixed her attention back on her meal. Picking at the meal she tried to puzzle out his motives, why she was here, what was the connection?

The face of the woman in the painting popped into her head suddenly, raising questions as to why they looked almost exactly alike. Did the box she had once belong to this mysterious woman, or was this just all coincidence? Inwardly she shook her head, there were too many similarities to be coincidence. Somehow these unanswered questions over the past few days had to be tied into this whole situation she was in. Determined to know she lifted her eyes and asked, "Who's Shishio Aiko?"

Shishio's lip curled in disdain. "She was the traitorous bitch who killed her husband and then herself after sending her daughter away to keep her and all her descendants from us." Leaning across the table he came to within inches of her face and smiled, "But she failed, sweet angel...you've been returned to where you belong."

Kaoru shivered and scooted back from the table eyeing him warily. "What do you mean 'where I belong'? I belong in Tokyo, at my father's dojo, not here with you!"

Shishio's smile widened, an unholy gleam of delight at her unease lit his eyes. He was enjoying the emotions of helplessness and fear he was causing, thriving off them in fact. She forgot her fear as anger began to smolder deep in her chest. Narrowing her eyes dangerously she glared hard at him, sick of the mind games he was playing, the innuendoes, the elusive hints. She grated a snarl between clenched teeth.

"You are home, my dear, the only home you will know for the rest of your life which will be a very long time indeed."

Kaoru's temper snapped. She was damn tired of the intimidation, fed up with the fear and to hell with every last one of them behind it! Anger flared into full blown rage. "What the _hell_ do you want from me?" she all but shouted as she threw herself across the table and slammed a fist square in the face. A satisfied part of her mind noted she managed to land it dead center.

Startled Shishio instinctively grabbed a hold of her arms and flung her into the wall, watching as she crashed heavily into the solid wood and crumpled to the floor. A sadistic grin crept across his lips as he rubbed his abused nose. Kami, she's a feisty one. This was going to be even more interesting than he'd originally thought.

Moving from his guard position at the door Razan walked over to where she was sprawled on the floor. Stunned and bruised Kaoru was attempting to rise when he leveled his katana at her throat and purred, "Didn't I warn you?"

Shying away from the blade Kaoru tried to scoot herself to the side and up off the floor. A gentle prick on her neck stopped her. Swinging her eyes up to meet his she shivered, the look he was giving her promised a slow and painful death if she tried anything. In fact he looked like he almost wished she would.

Fighting down the fear that sprang to the surface she instead allowed a small smile to cross her lips when she noticed the black eye that decorated his face. His eyes narrowed dangerously and she dropped the smile not wanting to push him further. She needed to get out of here alive after all.

Shishio rose from his place at the table and cast a glance their way before he sauntered towards the door, a small grin lifting the corner of his lips. "Bring her, it's time to begin."

Her tormentor reached down and grabbed Kaoru's arm, jerking her to her feet and dragged her out of the room. A knot of anxiety twisted painfully in her stomach as she was forcefully led down the hallway, Razan's iron grip cutting off the circulation as they followed Shishio to some unknown destination.

Coming to a door Shishio slid it open with ease and stepped outside onto a porch, disappearing around the corner. Surprised they were going outside Kaoru immediately readied herself for another escape attempt and stepped out the door. Instantly her heart plunged to her feet, all thoughts of escape flying out of her head when her eyes came to rest on the sheer cliff that outlined the entire garden they were in. The rock face went for as far as the eye could see in both directions, wrapping around the entire mansion. An impassable natural barrier from any attack that would be leveled from this side. Kaoru wilted and dropped her head to hide the tears that sprang to her eyes and finally accepted that there truly was nowhere to run.

A tug on her arm pulled her from her misery and she was led out into a well tended lawn towards a small stone building. The structure was nestled among a grove of sakura trees she hadn't noticed when they'd first come out onto the porch. Within moments they reached the open door and she was shoved roughly into the room, forcing her trip over the threshold and fall to her knees. She winced as she steadied herself, shifting to ease the scrapping she had received from the rough stone floor.

Glancing up to see just what the place was she blinked several times trying to adjust her eyes to the dim interior. Finally bringing them into focus she slowly got to her feet, grimacing as pain shot out from her bloodied knees and scanned the room. It was a solid stone room with no windows, the only light illuminating the interior was cast by the flickering candles that lined the walls and sunlight through the door. There was nothing in the room except a small table that held an assortment of daggers and other sharp implements, glinting menacingly in the subdued light. She quickly slid her gaze to Shishio, who stood in the middle of the room. Her eyes widened in dread as they came to rest on the manacles attached to the wall behind him.

Panic rose in a rush, threatening to choke her. With strength born of desperation Kaoru spun around and sprinted for the door, slamming her shoulder into her tormentor's chest pushing as hard as she could. Praying and hoping she could knock him over and escape. She heard a chuckle above her head before he grabbed her around the throat and flung her across the room. A cry was forced from her lips as she crashed hard into the stone wall beside the small table.

Dazed from the impact Kaoru rose up slowly, her body screaming from the abuse and shook her head to clear the pain. Her body throbbed from the impact, but her panic overrode her mind, demanding to flee, to get far away as possible at any cost. Grabbing one of the knives she swung around and faced Shishio. Her heart pounding so hard she was sure it was going to drive her into unconsciousness, the darkness already teasing the edges of her senses.

Shishio simply smiled and slowly moved towards her, driving her up against the wall again before he reached out to retrieve the dagger, sure she wouldn't actually use it.

But Kaoru immediately proved him wrong and slashed at his outstretched hand; cutting a jagged swath across his fingers. A satisfied grin stretched her lips, an almost feral sneer, as blood welled up and splashed to the floor. Shishio snarled and with flicker of movement had her wrist locked in a bone crushing grip.

Kaoru gasped as her fingers went numb, allowing the blade to clatter noisily to the floor. Stifling a further cry of pain she lifted her gaze from the hand threatening to turn her bones to dust and froze, the pain nearly forgotten as horror suddenly filled her. Shishio's eyes had gone from black to blood red, the malevolent power in them holding her as if she was prey in the hunter's sight.

And then much to her further horror he lowered his face until she could feel his hot breath on her skin, the reddish eyes burning into her with a hellish intensity. "We can avoid this, my dear, if you will simply drop your barrier and allow me to take what should have been mine." He murmured, his voice clearly stating he was through playing games. Time had run out.

Kaoru could only stare at him as the promise she'd made to her mother slammed into her mind. _Never bring down the barrier I just taught you for anyone...ever. Promise me, Kaoru, you will always keep it in place...promise me! _Tremors started to shake her body as her mother's voice continued to spiral, jumbled emotions, thoughts and memories battering her at every turn. Dragging her eyes from his she fixed them on the wall over his shoulder, cringing when they landed once again on the iron bands. "I... I... I can't." she whispered brokenly.

Shishio leaned in further, his nose almost brushing her smooth cheek, and grinned. "I was hoping you would say that." Yanking her trembling form to the back wall he quickly clamped her wrists in the manacles before she could attempt another escape. A brief motion bade Razan to leave them, the door closing soundly behind him.

Fighting against the shackles binding her to the wall, a cold sweat broke out all over Kaoru's body. Her imagination dragging up all sorts of horrors he could do with the knives arrayed on the table. Tears spilled from her eyes making wet paths down her cheeks as she realized this was it, she was going to die now for a reason she didn't even know. With one last violent tug on the chains she quit fighting and hung her head, waiting for the bite of the blade. Hoping he wouldn't take too long in killing her. Kenshin's smiling face flashed before her eyes causing her tears to come faster, her heart shattering to pieces now that she knew she would never get to see him again.

Once they were alone Shishio turned back to his prize and grinned at the pathetic picture she made. Her face was covered by her mass of thick hair, but the tears were still visible as they dripped from her chin to stain her clothing. Reaching out he gently placed a finger under her chin lifting her face to meet his. "Are you sure you don't want to just give me what I desire?"

"What is it you want from me?" Kaoru whispered, desperately needing to know what she was going to die for.

He leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her lips, grinning as he felt her recoil at the touch. "Your blood, my dear...the angel blood that lies hidden behind the barrier in your mind."

Kaoru started at the statement and gave him a quizzical look. "Angel blood?"

Nodding and with a paradoxical gentleness he wiped the dampness from her cheeks. "The legacy Aiko left in your blood, carried down through the generations by the women of our family. With it I will finally be able to destroy the ones who thought they could kill me."

Kaoru stared at him trying to digest what he'd just said. She'd always wondered why her mother had taught her the barrier, had made her promise to keep the glow hidden. Then suddenly it hit her, he wasn't going to kill her but try to bring down the barrier! He needed it down in order to take whatever it was he wanted. At the realization of what he was going to do a voice surfaced in the back of her mind screaming that she had to keep him from getting what he wanted or she would be lost forever. Setting alight an almost instinctive need to thwart his plans. 'How can I stop him?' she growled to the voice in her head, when no answer came she stomped down her fear and narrowed her eyes dangerously.

Not fully understanding all that was happening, but determined to keep him from getting what he wanted anyway, Kaoru faced him with all she had left. "I would rather die than let you have what you want." She murmured venomously. "So just kill me and be done with it!"

A malicious grin crept across Shishio's features, his blood red eyes beginning to glow. "You won't die, my dear...you will break."

Reaching down he grasped one of the daggers and brought it up to her face. Kaoru flinched back but continued to glare at him, fighting the fear that tried to grow again. Slowly he brought the blade to her cheek and cut a shallow line lengthwise down her cheek, lifting the blade he made another cut intersecting the first to resemble the scar on Kenshin's face. Kaoru's tears began flowing again as the impact of what he'd just done hit her like a fist. "Why did you do that?"

Shishio grinned. "I just wanted you to have something to remember him by, you are mine now and if he comes to take you from me I will kill him."

Blinding rage fed by her sorrow spilled through Kaoru's veins and she lifted her leg to kick him in the stomach as hard as she possibly could. "I won't let you kill him," she said with a smirk as shishio doubled over in pain. "There's no way you could anyway."

In a flash, Shishio had right himself and grabbed her by the throat. Slamming her hard against the wall he came to within inches of her face. "When I am done _nothing_ will be able to kill me. Not even the Hitokiri Battousai."

With that he let her go and brought the blade to her chest. Slicing open the thin yukata covering her, he laid the tip against her skin and drew a line over the tops of her breasts. Kaoru inhaled sharply then hissed in pain. A shiver of dread crawled up Kaoru's spine at the maliciously smile Shishio gave her before he purred, "I think we've had enough of the verbal sparring, now it's time to truly begin."

_**oooooooooooooooooo**_

Another candle guttered and died sending the room further into shadow, leaving only a scattered few to illuminate the dark interior and cast flickering light over Kaoru's unresponsive body. Unable to hold herself up anymore she hung listlessly from the iron bands, as blood continued seeping from the many cuts riddling her body. Staring at the pool of blood at her feet she vaguely wondered how she'd managed to stay alive so long. Her vision was beginning to fade from the heavy blood loss and her head throbbed from the iron grip she'd kept on the barrier reinforcing it every time it threatened to collapse.

She just wanted it to end, to slip away from the pain and sink into the darkness that teased the corner of her senses but she couldn't. If she let go of the barrier it would fall, giving him what he wanted. Determined to keep him from having it she hung on tenaciously, waiting for the blood loss to kill her. If that was the only way she could stop him, so be it.

Shishio stared at her bowed head impressed by her stubbornness to keep him away from the power she housed within. She was decorated from head to toe with shallow cuts he'd made over the hours they'd been in here, never once screaming but taking the torture with quiet determination, even biting through her lip to keep from letting him know how much pain she was in. He was starting to believe she truly would die before she'd let the barrier fall, keeping him away from the means to destroy all who had thought to dispose of him like useless trash.

A sudden surge of anger tore through his veins as he stared at her bowed head. He wasn't going to let her die and take away the one thing that would bring Japan to its knees. Grabbing a fist full of hair he yanked her head up and glared into her deadened eyes. "I wasn't going to do this but you've left me no choice...you _will_ break, sweet angel."

Dropping her head he set down the blade in his hand and retrieved the dull dagger that rested on the table with splashes of blood already marring its shiny surface. The tip had been sharpened but the rest had been left dull and jagged to tear through the skin instead, sure to cause excruciating pain. Leveling the blade at her side he pressed the tip into her skin pushing slowly to prolong the agony hoping it would drive her to release her hold on the barrier.

Kaoru's body spasmed as the blade ripped through her flesh digging deeper and deeper into her side. Snapping her head up, her jaw unlocked from her teeth-gritting determination, as a scream ripped from her throat. The searing pain as Shishio sawed the blade back and forth across her body raced like fire along her nerves. Gasping she arched away but with red-eyed glee her tormentor followed, twisting the blade further.

"You have nothing, angel," he whispered almost lovingly into her ear. "You are all alone."

Another twist and the pain tripled, sending her over the edge and a scream that eclipsed the previous one tore from her throat. In that moment the barrier shattered into a thousand pieces, unleashing the power she'd so tenaciously held in check. The shards of the broken barrier viciously pierced her already battered mind, driving her perilously close to the edge and ripped down the shell she'd unknowingly constructed years ago to hide the confusion and fear of her mother's final moments. Amplified by the power released, her scream echoed out over the landscape and rolled down the mountain slamming into a train passing by, shocking all within the cars.

Shishio grinned with anticipation as Kaoru began to glow, getting brighter and brighter as the seconds ticked by. He was finally going to have the weapon that would bring down the government he despised. It was finally within his grasp! Feeling the stone floor begin to shake beneath his feet he reached out and twisted a nipple savagely, pulling her back from completely succumbing to the power. "Not yet, my dear, we'll test that later" he whispered into her ear.

Licking his lips he lowered his face and traced his tongue across one of the cuts on her shoulder. The thrum of power tingled across the appendage; malicious delight filled him at the sensation, the taste. Latching his mouth to the wound he greedily ingested the seeping blood, the dagger now forgotten on the floor as he gripped her with both hands with bruising intensity. Like a starved man he took into him the sweet power that would heal his badly scarred body. Heal and render him immortal, giving him his heart's desire...control over the woman in front of him.

The sharp pain that radiated out from her breast pulled Kaoru back from the edge and hurtled her into the memory of her mother's painful last moments, the feel of wet lips pressing against her shoulder only hazily registering in her mind.

_"Momma, you wanted to talk to me?"_

_Her mother gave her a wan smile before she nodded and answered in a quiet voice. "There's something I need to tell you before I'm no longer here to protect you, Kaoru," beginning to cough, her mother's small frame shook violently stopping her from continuing. When the convulsion subsided her mother whispered "We are special, Kaoru...our family has a secret that we must protect and never speak about to others." Wracking coughs overtook her mother again, the blood pooled at the corners of her mouth frightening the young girl._

_Kaoru shook her head "Momma, you need to rest, you can tell me later."_

_Smiling slightly her mother shook her head. " There will be no later... you must learn to protect yourself from those who would take your freedom from you."_

_"Why momma?... Who would want to do that?"_

_Wiping the blood from the corners of her mouth her mother fought to sit up. Finally succeeding she grasped Kaoru's hands, "There are those in this world who will want the power that we hold within us and will use it to destroy all around them, to rule it. The Shishio family has hunted us for centuries angered by the loss of the blood they believed to be rightfully theirs. Our ancestor Aiko gave them her blood and paid dearly for the mistake...I don't want you to face the same fate." _

_Another attack seized her mother again causing her to gasp for air. The grip on Kaoru's hands tightened painfully "Hide from them, Kaoru. They will bind you to them with unbreakable chains if they ever find you."_

_"How can they bind me?" Kaoru asked, fear pulsing madly through her veins. Watching her mother weaken even more tears began coursing down her cheeks, frightened by all that was happening._

_"By breaking the barrier to release your power and consuming your blood where the power hides, if they do you will be bound to them forever." _

_Terrified out of her mind she freed her hands and grasped her mother's shoulders painfully. "What power, Momma?...What power do I have!"_

_Blood began to stream from her mother's mouth as she brokenly whispered, "Don't... let them... take...your blood." As the last word fell from her lips she collapsed forward and gasped desperately for air. Then, with one last strangled breath, her mother slipped from the world leaving Kaoru shaken and terrified, not fully comprehending everything she'd just been told. The desperation, fear and shock caused her to blindly build a barrier to hide all that threatened to swallow her. Even her memories._

Kaoru woke from the painful recollection, her eyes slowly refocusing on the room around her. Tears she didn't think she had anymore began streaming down her face as the memory cut open the old wound in her heart again. Kami she wished that it had remained buried.

Every inhalation was a ragged gasp as pain continued to tear at her from inside and out, and then Kaoru suddenly realized that the room was brighter than it had been before. Weakly glancing around her eyes came to rest on Shishio and she watched as he licked a stray drop of blood from his lips, his eyes intent and triumphant as he gazed at her. Horror began to filter through the agony of her body as she realized how he was now outlined by a bright golden glow. Appalled she watched the bandages that covered him fall away to reveal the newly healed skin beneath.

"Now you are forever mine, sweet angel, and I am all you have...nothing can tear us apart...ever. "

The consequences of what had just happened slammed into Kaoru's already overstressed mind and body, pushing her over the edge and she screamed, "_NO!_"

Eyes rolling up into her head Kaoru succumbed to the released power aching to protect her from further torment, unconsciously embracing the warmth and security it offered. The ground began to heave violently, buckling the floor and shaking the stone walls. Spider cracks flew across their smooth surface, the ceiling beginning to crack and fall, narrowly missing her chained form. The pieces extinguishing the last of the lit candles and splashing into the pool of blood still at her feet as the grating and crashing of stone filled the air.

Shocked, Shishio dove out from underneath a slab of falling stone and grabbed a hold of her, slamming his lips brutally against hers in a demanding painful kiss. Forcing her back into the world. No sooner had she come back to herself than he released her bruised lips and stared hard into her eyes. "Build a barrier _now_!" he ordered, pinning her against the wall with his body.

Completely drained from the mental battle that had taken every last bit of willpower she'd had, Kaoru sagged in his grip and let go of the power. Closing her eyes she forced her mind to build the barrier that would hold the power in check, knowing it didn't matter anymore. She was bound to this monster for the rest of her life. Nothing more than a slave, blood bonded for all eternity. A moment later she completed the barrier and gratefully fell into the darkness that had been beckoning her for so long, too tired to do anything but sleep, the memory of her mother's death following her into oblivion.

As the barrier formed the glow encircling them both faded, filling the room with darkness. Shishio felt his way over to the door and opened it to let in the last rays of sunlight, sidling back to Kaoru's limp figure a grin touched his lips. She was more powerful than he'd ever thought she would be, with her he would finally be able to bring the Meiji government to its knees. Unlocking her wrists he caught her before she hit the floor and cradled her against his chest then carried her from the room. Out in the dying light of the sunset he stopped in his tracks, shocked by what he saw. The wounds he'd inflicted on her had all healed, leaving only trails of dried blood to prove they were ever there.

Pleased she wouldn't be scarred for life he carried her into the mansion and laid her gently on the futon in her room, covering her with the soft blanket. She'd proven to be a worthy adversary and thoughts of her beyond being a tool for his revenge began tease at his mind. Grinning to himself he left her to sleep and made his way to the main audience hall, mulling over the new feelings blossoming in his chest. He could do whatever he wished with her, she was his after all.

_**ooooooooooooooooo**_

Kenshin's head snapped up as a soul-wrenching scream crashed into the train, reverberating around the car and echoing in the very air. Swinging his head around he expected to see fellow travelers mortally wounded nearby, but was only met by the same surprised looks that mirrored his own. A phantom pain shot through his side making him wince and looked down to see nothing amiss. Confused and uneasy he shifted his eyes to the window and watched thousands of birds take flight from the mountain they were passing. Spooked by something he couldn't see.

A sudden, inexplicable fear gripped his chest, stealing his breath away. It felt like he'd just lost the most vital thing in his life. Watching the mountain disappear from view behind another he knew something had just occurred that would change his life forever. As his eyes turned back to the seat before him he fervently wished they'd reach Tokyo. Silently urging the train to move faster so he could wrap his arms around Kaoru and protect her from whatever it was that was coming.


	9. Battousai Awakened

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

Chapter 8 - Battousai Awakened

Kenshin knew something was wrong as soon as he laid his hand on the gate, the foreboding lack of Kaoru's calming presence anywhere nearby had him tense and on guard. The dojo felt... empty. Pushing the door open he walked in and scanned the shadowed yard, looking for some sign of life. It was after dark but usually Kaoru would be up sitting in the moonlight or puttering around the dojo somewhere. yet, there was nothing.

A barely discernible thump drifted to his ears, breaking the oppressive silence. Making his way around the corner where the storehouse was, he saw the beckoning glow of a candle in the training hall. Silently approaching he peered into the open door and saw Yahiko, right arm bandaged tightly to his side practicing his kata with his left. Cold determination was etched into every line of the boy's face, yet a haunted look shadowed his eyes as if he'd come face to face with the devil himself.

Oblivious to his audience, Yahiko swore under his breath and swung the bokken as hard as he could, planting it right between the mismatched eyes of the phantom hovering before his vision. He was still furious at himself for being unable to stop the intruder from taking Kaoru. Continuing to beat on the illusion, his every swing was accompanied by the fervent wish that the monster was truly in front of him so he could kill him; prove to himself that he was strong enough to protect his adopted sister, the one who protected him.

"Yahiko," Kenshin called out after a moment. "Where's Kaoru?"

Yahiko froze and swung his head around at the familiar voice. Suddenly ill at ease, he swallowed and faced the rurouni. "Kenshin...you're here already?"

An odd look passed across Kenshin's features before he pierced him with a hard look. "What do you mean 'already'?"

Yahiko dropped his gaze to the floor, his shoulders slumping; the bokken hanging limply from his hand. "She's gone, Kenshin, some madman came here last night and took her."

For a long moment Kenshin stood staring at Yahiko trying to digest what he'd just heard, part of him denying the words that seemed to echo all around him. His chest tightened painfully when the information finally sank in. He was too late, she was already gone. Anger and guilt rose up in a rush, warring for dominance squeezing the breath from his lungs. Struggling for control he finally managed to lock down the emotions threatening to tear him apart. "What happened?" he bit out, harsher than he intended.

Yahiko flinched, then slumped helplessly, his eyes still downcast. "I don't know. When I got here the man had her slung over his shoulder and was making his way to the gate. I tried to stop him...but I couldn't."

"Where's Sano, was he here?" Kenshin asked in a gentler tone that belied his inner feelings.

Yahiko nodded and finally met Kenshin's eyes. A tingle of fear whispered down his spine when he saw gold bleeding into the normally violet-hued eyes, then recede only to glimmer around the edges again. Averting his gaze again, he shuffled over to return his bokken to the wall mount. "He's hurt really bad, he almost died." Motioning for Kenshin to follow him he led the way towards Sano's room. They were both silent as Yahiko slid the shoji back to step into the dimly lit room. The boy turned to lean against the wall, allowing Kenshin to enter.

Megumi's head snapped up when she heard the shoji slide open. Her eyes widened when she saw Yahiko step in, closely followed by Kenshin. "Ken-san, you're here already. I don't understand, Yahiko just sent the letter this afternoon."

Ignoring her surprised look Kenshin stared at Sano's bandaged chest and shoulder. "What happened to him?"

"Sliced from hip to shoulder, then the blade was buried deep in his shoulder severing the muscle. He's lucky it missed the artery there." Megumi rose from her place beside the sleeping man and padded over to Kenshin, leaning close to him she whispered, "He will never use that arm again like he did before, the muscle was cut clean through. We did what we could, but it won't take the abuse he will try to inflict on it."

"Don't worry, fox, it'll work just fine."

Surprised, both of them swung their attention to Sano's pale face. A ghost of a smile played across the ex-fighter's lips before it disappeared and he met Kenshin's gaze. Guilt and shame drew Sano's expression into a frown. "Sorry, Kenshin, I couldn't stop him."

Kenshin shook his head at the apology and closed the distance between them. It wasn't Sano's fault she'd been stolen, it was his. Settling down beside the injured man he asked, "Do you know who took her?"

"No," Sano replied, trying to sit up. "I've never seen him before."

Megumi flew to his side and pushed him back down. "Lay back down, baka, you'll reopen your wounds that way."

"Yes, mama," Sano murmured with a wan smile, grabbing her hand he wrapped his fingers around hers.

Megumi's eyes narrowed but before she could speak Yahiko pushed off the wall and squatted down beside Kenshin. "A policeman came here today looking for Kaoru...he knows who has her but wouldn't say who it was."

Kenshin stiffened. Saitou! The realization set his mind whirling, the implications and conclusions falling into place and each fact slammed into him. The control he'd fought for fractured, allowing his anger to rise up and seize ahold of him in a ruthless grip. So the Wolf knew who had her. And if he knew who had her he likely knew why as well. Why hadn't Saitou been more forthcoming from the start? Kenshin could not foresee any sort of justification. The Wolf was going to bleed for holding back.

Rising silently he padded out of the room without another word, his fury intensifying as he realized it was too late to hunt the bastard down now. Making his way to the porch outside of Kaoru's room he sat down and pulled her blue hair ribbon from his gi, fingering the soft material lovingly. His anger slowly grew into a cold calculating wrath as he envisioned all the things he was going to do to the unsuspecting bastard who'd taken her... and the bastard who'd kept the information from him. Cradling the sakabatou against his shoulder he leaned against the wall and settled in for a long sleepless night. He'd failed to protect the one he loved... again... but this time he would fix it.

_**oooooooooooooooooo**_

Saitou Hajime reclined in his chair, his ankles crossed and resting on the desk, waiting for the storm to finally hit his closed door. The rage washing off his approaching visitor was almost a palpable thing, thickening the air as he drew closer. It was no surprise when the door slammed open, revealing a redheaded demon that stood glaring murderously at him, amber eyes glowing in the early morning light.

A sardonic grin touched Saitou's lips. "You failed again Battousai, how does it feel?"

The callous statement was enough to make Kenshin's fragile hold on his temper snap like a brittle twig. With godlike speed he drew his sakabatou and flew over the desk driving the cop to the floor, the sharp edge of his blade pressed tightly against his neck. "_Where is she_?" he snarled, the blood rage within nearly singing with the need to slit the bastard's throat.

The smirk returned to Saitou's face. Heaving the redhead back he straightened and dabbed at the thin line of blood running down his neck. Turning to the now standing rurouni he remarked, "Maybe you should ask 'what is she' instead."

Amber eyes narrowed and Kenshin took a step towards his former enemy, slowly raising his sakabatou. "Enough of your insinuations, for once and for all tell me what this is about," he grated out.

"Sit down, Battousai," Saitou ordered as he righted his chair. "There are a few things you need to know." Seating himself, the tall man fished out a cigarette and lit it, blowing the smoke into Kenshin's face as the redhead sat down across from him. "You failed to heed my warning and now you're going to regret ever leaving her alone."

Kenshin's fist wrapped around the hilt of his sakabatou in a strangling grip, gritting his teeth he fought the urge to draw more blood. Telling himself repeatedly that right now he needed the information Saitou had been withholding more. Narrowing his eyes in a deadly glare, he growled "What the hell do you know, Wolf?"

Kicking up his feet, Saitou reclined in his chair again and picked up a couple sheets of paper; tossing them at Kenshin.

Kenshin caught them in midair and pulled them to him, quickly scanning the first page. His eyes widened when he realized that it seemed to be Kaoru's family tree dating all the way back to 1600AD. Two names at the bottom of the tree caused his fist to tighten, wrinkling the paper.

Kamiya Kaoru and Shishio Makoto.

Saitou relished his former enemy's reaction, mockery laced his words as he pointed out the obvious "Your little tanuki is the distant cousin of the infamous hitokiri, Shishio Makoto, your successor."

Spearing him with a glare, Kenshin asked, "And what part does he play in this?"

A chuckle escaped Saitou's throat as he flicked ash, "He's the one that took her, read the other paper Battousai and you'll understand why."

Kenshin scanned the other one quickly, confusion crossing his features. The woman described in the legend in his hand had been bound to a tree in the middle of a village by her own husband. Shortly thereafter the village had been completely leveled, all except for herself and the tree she was tied. Yet, it didn't say how or why.

"What does this have to do with Kaoru?" he asked, glaring at the dark-haired cop. Impatience was beginning to gnaw at the time being wasted here, his need to go to Kaoru rising.

Saitou sighed and nearly rolled his eyes. "Who is the woman in the legend?"

Glancing back down at the paper Kenshin's face paled. Shishio Aiko. Swinging his eyes to the family tree in his other hand he saw at the top of the tree Takashi Aiko wife of Shishio Kisho. They'd had a son and daughter, the family tree split beneath them with Kaoru descended from the daughter and Makoto descended from the son. An icy shiver ran down his spine, stomping out the sense of foreboding that flickered through him he asked in a low voice, "How was she able to destroy an entire village?"

"Takashi Aiko was the daughter of a woman named Akiko who, if the rumors are true, was a fallen angel. Cast out because of her love for a human." Saitou replied smoothly before inhaling and exhaling a drag from his cigarette. Satisfaction gleamed in his eyes at the utterly shocked look on his former enemy's face. Shock that quickly turned into disbelief.

Shaking himself, Kenshin eyed him skeptically. "Angels don't exist."

"Then how do you explain the golden glow that surrounded Aiko before the town was leveled? Can you explain just how that destruction occurred? How did she remain unscathed? How much can you discount before you see the obvious?" Saitou leaned forward slightly, his sharp features intent. "Open your eyes, Battousai."

Confused Kenshin turned his attention back to the legend rereading it more carefully. His eyes widened finding a whole piece he'd missed in his haste. There the more detailed description leapt at him. Words of the woman that had glowed as bright as the sun just before the ground buckled, rolling out from her in a huge wave to destroy everything in its path. Another shiver crawled up his spine as he read over the words 'golden glow' again. Kaoru has a golden glow, his mind whispered, there has always been something different about her. Comprehension struck him hard ripping through his gut. Kaoru had the same blood, the same power...and Makoto had her.

Saitou watched the flicker of understanding pass through the redhead's eyes, "Yes, Battousai, you have given Shishio the means to destroy the very government, the very country you fought so hard to create simply by leaving her unprotected."

Kenshin crumpled the papers in his hands and, with eyes blazing, flung the balled pages onto desk. "Why didn't you tell me?" He demanded harshly.

Saitou shrugged. "To be honest, I didn't fully believe it myself until I received the confirmation of the legend yesterday." Narrowing his eyes, the dark-haired cop glared right back at the furious hitokiri, his own anger finally evident. "You failed to guard her as you were intended to, leaving her instead in the care of a worthless ex-fighter and a kid. Thanks to you she is now the enemy," he stated coldly.

In a flash Kenshin shot to his feet and leveled the tip of his blade at Saitou's neck. "She will _never_ be my enemy!" he growled, amber eyes flashing. They held silent in a deadlock of wills, each seething with indignation, neither moving for that long moment of silent communication. Blame and resentment for each other bled and stained the air till a cold sense of determination began to temper the two men. Restraining his anger Kenshin resheathed the blade and sank onto the edge of the chair, even as Saitou rubbed his throat.

Clenching his teeth he bit out, "What do you mean 'intended'? It's not like you to choose that word idly."

Saitou smirked as he blew out another stream of smoke, "You were the one who was destined to protect her from harm, but it seems whatever force chose you made a mistake."

Kenshin's vision flashed red, he was going to lose control if the bastard didn't give him a straight answer once and for all. He was finding his patience, what little he had anyway, wearing perilously thin at Saitou's roundabout answers. "What the hell is this destined guardian exactly?" he growled.

Saitou shrugged again. "I don't know, but when her father was on his death bed he mentioned it before dragged the promise to watch over her out of me. He said a man would come into her life that would never leave her side, guarding her from those who would try to destroy her. For some reason I thought it was you, but I must have been misguided instead." A flick of his fingers sent another small pile of ash floating away. "I put too much faith in Fate it seems."

Kenshin closed his eyes, his fury settling into a cold wrath at the verbal slap in the face. A blow that was well deserved, he acknowledged harshly. He'd failed and he knew it, he should never have left and now he'd lost that which meant the most to him. Sliding his eyes open he leveled Saitou with a hate-filled stare, "Where is he?"

Saitou leaned back and kicked up his onto his desk again. "Their ancestral home is located in the mountains north of Nagoya, he's currently holed up there with the man who killed Kamiya's father."

Kenshin's jaw tightened and he gritted out, "Who?"

A smirk crept across Saitou's lips. "Matsumoto Razan. I lost track of him after he killed Koshijiro, but he surfaced about a year ago when his path crossed Shishio's. He's been working for him ever since. Shishio sent him out to find something and I've been tracking Matsumoto all over Japan trying to find out what he was looking for. I finally followed him here. Unfortunately he slipped out of Tokyo before I could catch him, however it looks like he found what he was looking for. Eh, Battousai?"

Scowling viciously Kenshin fought down the urge to drive his sakabatou through Saitou's chest. Instead, ignoring the barb, he stood and strode towards the door. He had all the information he needed now. A shuffle of papers broke through the red haze surrounding his mind. "What will you do now, Battousai?"

Kenshin stopped three steps from the door and turned his head just enough to look over his shoulder, amber eyes glowing. "I will hunt them down and kill them for even thinking they could touch her," he stated in a dead cold voice. With that said he continued out the door, slamming it behind him as thoughts of ripping apart both men with his bare hands flitted through his mind.

A bitter grin touched Saitou's lips. "Good, because if she comes here with Shishio I will execute her myself." He whispered to the empty room. The promise he'd made to her father no longer held any sway, he would kill her if she so much as set foot in Tokyo.

_**oooooooooooooooooo**_

Kaoru awoke with a start, a scream catching in her throat as she bolted upright with terror filled eyes. Cold sweat instantly coated her pale skin, breath panting almost painfully in time with her pounding heart. The nightmare continued to tingle the edge of her senses, her skin remembering every touch of the blade causing phantom pain to shoot through her body.

Glancing down she expected to see herself completely covered in partially healed cuts, but was surprised to see her skin only marred by smears of dried blood. The tattered, stained yukata, hanging from her in strips and threads barely covered her. Hesitantly raising her hand to the cheek Shishio had cut to match Kenshin's she was surprised to feel only the smoothness of skin. How was she healed, she wondered as she regained control of her body. She should be dead, the amount of blood she'd lost should have killed her. The horror of the torture and agony Shishio had inflicted on her started her trembling again. Unbidden, a whisper of memory floated into her consciousness, gently caressing her skin and enveloping her in a blanket of protection and security. Warming her from the inside out, taking away all the pain and the trauma. The feeling of contentment that settled over her pushed away all her worries and fear.

So lost in the hazy memory her battered mind desperately clung to and the promise of relief it offered, she didn't immediately notice the foreign presence that slowly slithered its way into the back of her mind. The mental shove was all it took to gain her attention though, to break her from her solace. A gasp rushed past Kaoru's lips as she physically tensed in shock. With a ruthless glee, tempered only by the driving need to destroy, the mental intruder swam to the surface while maliciously shredding the peaceful memory. The destruction in his wake left her bare to the onslaught of emotions sliding through her veins, invading her entire body. Her stomach twisted violently, threatening to heave its contents all over the futon as she tried to comprehend what was violating her. Without warning the memory of Shishio licking a stray drop of blood from his lips flashed before her eyes followed by a dry chuckle that echoed hollowly in her mind. Hot tears began streaming from her tightly closed lids when she realized what was happening. Shishio was inside her very skin, his emotions slithering through her like a snake wrapping itself around its prey, tightening around her in a strangling grip.

Shivering uncontrollably she collapsed onto the futon, trying to shove away the slimy feeling that his presence left under her skin. But it continued to eddy through her body, slipping into her very soul, leaving a poisonous sludge behind. A silent scream ripped through her mind, threatening to drive her over the edge again. Fingers twisted the fabric beneath her, knuckles whitening with the strain. Hopelessness settled deeply into her bones, slamming home the truth. She was bound to him now and he would always be with her, in her, no matter how hard she tried to be rid of him. Silent sobs ripped from her throat, despair stealing away all her energy and will as her tears wet the soft blanket beneath her.

_**oooooooooooooooooo**_

Sitting in the room next door Shishio relished the feel of anguish that washed through the bond from his angel. A triumphant delight slid across his features, black eyes lighting up with unholy mirth. She was nearly broken. Soon she would be completely his to manipulate as he pleased; the Meiji government didn't stand a chance and neither did she.

_**oooooooooooooooooo**_

After a moment, Kaoru shoved the despondency that had settled over her like a blanket into the deepest part of her heart and built a small barrier in hopes of closing out the monster who had invaded her very being. A rush of relief washed through her when his slimy presence diminished to a mere tickle teasing the edge of her awareness. Sitting up she pulled the remains of the yukata around her and glanced around the room, spying a bowl of water and a cloth laid out on the table she wiped her tears and padded over to it letting the destroyed yukata fall to the floor. With slightly shaking hands, she dipped the cloth and began scrubbing the blood off, rubbing so hard she left the skin red while trying desperately to wash away the feel of the monster she was bound to. Finally washing away all the crimson marks she shuffled over to the standing chest and opened it. Inside she was surprised to find her hakama and gi neatly folded at the bottom, all the blood washed clean from them with her hair tie laid on top. Smiling gratefully she slipped into the familiar clothes, the flowing feel of them reminding her of home, quickly tying her hair up she glanced at everything else housed in the chest.

It was full of some of the most beautiful kimonos she'd ever seen. Fingering the soft material of an exceptionally beautiful cream colored one with small sakura blossoms embroidered down the sleeve she wondered why Shishio would take the time and money to outfit her so, unless they weren't for her. with a shrug she turned her attention to the impossibly soft yukatas in every shade she'd ever seen that hung alongside the kimonos. She truly could not figure out the man who now held her life in his hands. A broken line at the bottom of the chest suddenly caught her attention.

Furrowing her brow, she knelt down and traced the line with a fingertip, shoving a nail into the crack she tested it to see if it was some kind of hidden compartment. Not really thinking it was, she was surprised when a small piece of wood popped out of the base at her gentle prying revealing a small compartment. Within a small journal rested, its timeworn cover cracked and corners crumbling slightly. Gently lifting it out of its hiding spot she set it aside and replaced the piece of wood, closing the chest when she finished.

Excitedly retrieving her find she made her way to the shoji that led outside and cautiously slid it open. The warm morning sun greeted her, blinding her momentarily as she stepped out onto the open porch. She was surprised to see the cliff from the previous day and the same garden spread out before her. Unbidden her eyes found the small stone building that had been her downfall sitting innocently among the sakura blossoms. A sick fascination settled over her as she gazed at the dull grey stone.

A sudden, driving need to see the room where she had lost her freedom pulled at her, setting her feet towards it before she even knew what was happening. Upon reaching it, she hesitantly stepped through the doorway and was shocked to see the floor cracked down the center, buckled up and slanting away in both directions. The small table that had held the implements of her torture lay on its side, the blades that had been arrayed on its smooth surface scattered all over. Some gleaming in the light filtering through the crack in the ceiling.

Kaoru's eyes widened in awed disbelief. Did she do this? She vaguely remembered something wrapping around her and shooting out in all directions trying to protect her from anymore harm. Scoffing softly under her breath she shook her head in. That was impossible, how could she have done this?

Shrugging off the strange thoughts she carefully picked her way over to the daggers laying on the floor and grimaced when she saw the dried blood coating several of them, her stomach knotting at the sight. Swallowing thickly, she reached down and retrieved the only clean one in the bunch to arm in herself against Shishio, one never knew when an opportunity might arise. A faint smile touched her lips and she absently fingered the sharp blade. She hissed loudly when the blade sliced into the tender flesh of her thumb and she glanced to the wound as one crimson drop welled up and threaded its way down her skin to pool in her palm. But then, before she could so much as move her hand to clean it away a bright golden glow emanated from the cut, sealing it so completely that not even a scar was left.

Horrified Kaoru dropped the blade; narrowly missing her foot and stared at the freshly healed skin. Is this how she was healed! For a long moment she stared at her thumb in bewilderment. This had never happened before, every cut and scrape she'd ever had in her life healed by itself in the usual way, never like this. How could this be? What had happened to her? Biting down on her lip she forced the panicked confusion aside. She wouldn't get any answers out here she was sure, besides she had more important matters to deal with. Grimly Kaoru reached down and retrieved the dagger, slipping it into her belt. And then without thinking she shifted her eyes to the side as she turned to leave and saw the black puddle of dried blood on the remains of the floor nearby. Her blood, she realized, and so much of it.

Spinning around Kaoru shot out the door and fell to the ground, her stomach clenching violently as hot tears trickled from her tightly closed eyes. Resting her forehead against the cool ground she fought to settle her roiling stomach, the memory of the torture she'd endured making it hard to get control. That she had been driven to that point sickened her and she gritted her teeth as she shoved the memory into the deepest parts of her mind. Slowly sitting up in the grass she wiped away the clammy sweat coating her brow and retrieved the journal she'd dropped in her flight. With fragile resolution she rose and stumbled to the cool shade of one of the sakura trees nearby where she gratefully dropped to the ground and leaned against the trunk. Once she was settled she set the journal on her knees and gently lifted the cover to reveal the first page. A gasp escaped her throat when she saw the the name written in large, flowing script on the otherwise empty page.

Takashi Aiko.

Stunned, Kaoru swung her attention to the shoji she'd left open, now understanding why Shishio had asked her if the room was acceptable. He had put her in Aiko's room. A shiver of something she couldn't name slithered up her spine. Why would he do that? Did he hope to completely break her? Or did he just gain a sick amusement in putting her in their ancestor's room?

Yet, what he didn't seem to understand was that she may be bound to him but he would never fully break her, no matter how hard he tried.

A small grin tugged at her lips and Kaoru gave her attention back to the journal. Flipping through the first few pages, she read an entry here and there. The first few entries she read were entered by what seemed like a young woman no older than herself helplessly in love with a man who didn't seem to even know she existed. A sad smile came to Kaoru's lips, she knew how that felt as she had the same problem and now she would never have the chance to change his mind. Shaking off the heavy feeling that settled in her chest at the thought, she flipped further into the journal. Her heart lightened somewhat when she found an entry made the day of Aiko's wedding, her ancestor had finally managed to catch the eye of the man of her dreams, hope for the future filling an entire two pages. Shortly after the wedding there was an entry filled with absolute glee... Aiko was pregnant.

Continuing to read the entries after the birth of their twins Kaoru felt the sadness creep into the pages as the years passed, until she reached an entry that made her blood run cold. Aiko had chosen to tell Kisho her secret in hopes of saving their marriage, offering him her blood so they could share a more intimate bond than the legal one already linking them. Reading further the sadness swelled into despair as Kisho took advantage of the gift Aiko had given him. The entries became darker as the power twisted the man into something Aiko no longer knew. What began as using the bond to control her turned into eventually using her to destroy an entire village, killing everyone but the one's who'd been tending the outlaying fields.

Horrified by the destruction written in the pages, Kaoru wondered what exactly it was they had in them that could do so much damage. Glancing back to the stone building, icy fingers of fear trailed down her spine leaving her feeling hollow and alone. What were they? Hesitantly she flipped to the last page afraid of what she might find. Her heart twisted painfully as she read the last entry, Kisho had done the ultimate thing to harm Aiko, he'd threatened to bond their children together so the blood would never be lost. Tears welled up and fell from Kaoru's eyes, dripping unheeded onto the fragile parchment that told of Aiko's desolation and her decision to send away their daughter, saving her from an unholy union with her brother. Through blurry eyes she read the last sentence ever written by her ancestor.

_I go now to correct the terrible mistake I made, I should have heeded my mother's warning but now it's too late. I hope my sacrifice will keep anymore of our blood from suffering the same fate as I have._

Kaoru dropped the journal and curled forward to rest her forehead on her knees, her tears soaking into the soft material of her hakama. Aiko's pain and suffering cut deep into her heart, leaving a wound almost as big as the one Shishio had inflicted. In the end the sacrifice her ancestor had made had come to naught, they'd found her anyway. Curling even further into herself, she didn't notice the man who had come to stand before her until heavily calloused hands gently cradled her cheeks and lifted her face.

"What troubles you, my dear?"

Startled out of her misery, Kaoru jerked her head out of his hands and slammed back tight against the tree, her eyes flying impossibly wide. Who the...?

Quickly taking in his handsome face which was framed by golden highlighted raven hair she ignored the teasing smile tickling the edges of his lips and tried to figure who he could possibly be. Was he another of Shishio's henchman? Shivering at the thought, she finally met the black eyes fixed on her and immediately regretted the action when she saw the promise of something she would rather not have seen in those black depths.

"Who are you?" She muttered shakily as she attempted to move further away from him.

A small chuckle escaped from the man's throat. "You don't recognize me do you, sweet angel."

Kaoru froze at the familiar voice. "Shishio?" she croaked in disbelief, unable to reconcile this man with the one who'd been bandaged from head to toe.

Shishio nodded and reached out to trail a finger gently along her jaw. He grinned when she flinched away from the touch.

"Your blood healed my scarred body, I'm not so bad to look upon now, am I?"

Kaoru shimmied up the tree to her feet and skirted away from his touch. "Don't touch me" she growled, as she rocked back on her heels, ready to bolt if he reached for her again.

But her preparations were for naught as Shishio reached out lightning fast and grabbed her, dragging her up against his chest to hold her close. With his free hand her forced her head up and planted his lips firmly against hers. Kaoru fought against his hold to no avail. A heartbeat later he finally released her lips and purred, "You are mine. I can do whatever I desire with you."

Kaoru shuddered at what he implied and wrapped her hand around the blade in her belt as she continued to fight to free herself. All of a sudden, Shishio released her and she fell back a step, at the same time she wrenched the dagger from her belt and thrust it as hard and as deep as she possibly could directly into chest where his black heart resided. A sudden burst of pain exploded in the same place in her own chest and Kaoru gasped as the breath was stolen from her lungs. Instinctively releasing the blade, she stumbled back, clutching her chest and watched horrified as a bright golden glow engulfed them both, the wound she'd inflicted healing as Shishio drew the blade from his chest. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the blade to the side and grabbed her arm, dragging her to him, face to face. "We are immortal and invulnerable, my dear." Kaoru's stomach twisted into a knot at the unholy glee lighting his expression. "You cannot kill me...nothing can."

All the fight bled out of her and she crumpled to the ground as a dark blanket of hopelessness settled over her. How was she going to free herself from this monster? There had to be a way, Aiko had done it...but how?

Unable to think of any possible way, Kaoru hung her head in defeat and didn't flinch or fight when Shishio wrapped his hand around her arm and guided her to her feet. Following behind him as he led her towards the mansion, she realized that she no longer cared whether she lived or died anymore.

She truly was of Form


	10. Broken Angel

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

Chapter 9 - Broken Angel

From the shadows of Shishio's room, Yumi angrily watched the pair in the garden, her black eyes igniting with pent up fury. "Nothing to worry about, hmm? Lying son of a bitch."

"It seems you've been replaced."

Yumi swung around and nailed the smirking bastard behind her with a hate-filled glare, "Not for long."

Razan's smirk only deepened at her words and Yumi pushed past him to make her way to her own room. Running over various ways to rid herself of this nuisance as she went, she smiled. Several of the more painful ones were rather enticing.

A soft chuckle followed her out of the room as Razan watched her go. The bitch had it coming, she'd been the downfall of many over the years and he would gleefully watch her fall this time. Whistling lightly he made his way over to the shoji just in time to see Shishio's new toy collapse to the ground. This one seemed to be broken, but from what he'd been told she would bring about the demise of the government that had destroyed his family.

Grinning to himself, he slid the door closed and headed to the audience hall. Today they would test the new toy's power, that should be rather interesting.

_**oooooooooooooooooo**_

Kaoru dropped to the futon in her room when Shishio let go of her arm and stared blindly at the beautiful waterfall etched into the wall before her. She was lost, just as the voice had screamed in her mind. There would be no escape for her now. She couldn't even cry, there was nothing left in her but the darkness that wrapped her in black shell stealing away all hope.

Shishio knelt down before her and grasped her face lining her eyes up with his. The bleak emptiness he saw in their depths unnerved him, he wanted her broken but not completely useless. Leaning in he brushed his lips against hers and frowned at the lack of reaction, she simply continued to stare at him as if he wasn't even there. Lightly pushing against the pathetic barrier she'd thrown up to block out the bond between them he felt it buckle slightly under the pressure. Pushing a touch more he fed a sliver of his desire through the bond, knowing if anything that would get a reaction.

Kaoru stiffened then jerked her head out of his hands as the slimy feel of his lust suddenly invaded her veins, twisting her stomach into knots. Lashing out instinctively she swung her fist at his head. "GET OUT OF MY MIND!" she screamed, her eyes igniting with burning hate.

Shishio grinned and caught her wrist before her knuckles could connect. "Come now, is that any way to treat the man you will spend forever with?"

Scowling viciously Kaoru yanked her arm from his grasp and slammed the barrier closed, a grin slid across her lips at the grimace of pain that shot across his features. "I would rather die than live my life with you."

Grabbing her roughly Shishio pinned her arms to her side and rested his cheek against hers. "You and I are meant to be together. After you destroy the Meiji government for me we will have all the time in the world for you to realize that you are mine," he purred into her ear. The shiver that raced through her body ignited what he tried to keep locked down and he pushed away from her before he could give in. She wasn't ready for that yet. Quickly rising to his feet, he strode to the door and slid the shoji back.

"Be prepared to leave in an hour," he ordered without looking at her then he stepped from the room, closing the door soundly behind him. On silent feet he padded the handful of feet to his own room trying to quiet the desire pulsing through his veins. If she continued to fight him he wouldn't be able to hold back. He knew if he gave in too soon it would destroy her, then what fun would their eternity be?

Kaoru wilted onto the futon as the door slid closed behind him, all the fight draining from her in an instant. She could still feel his desire ebbing through her, leaving her feeling unclean, violated. She had to find a way to break free from him or she knew she would be forced to do things she couldn't even stand to imagine with him. Her stomach began to churn at the mere thought, forcing bile into her throat. Reflexively gagging she made the barrier stronger, completely blocking him out.

A bone-weary sigh slipped from her lips and Kaoru curled into a ball as the memory of the kiss she'd shared with Kenshin slowly surfaced pushing away the slimy feeling Shishio had left as she once again felt the pressure of his lips against hers. Sudden warmth flooded her body and she finally gave in to exhaustion and drifted off to sleep with the feel of Kenshin's chest pressed firmly against hers, the emptiness and despair she'd felt melting away.

Yet, her reprieve was shortlived.

An hour later Kaoru found herself ripped violently from the darkness when a hand gripped her arm and ruthlessly hauled her to knees. Wrenching her shoulder in the process. Blinking owlishly she grimaced at the pain that shot down her arm and tried to shake off the lingering effects of her short nap. Another shake accompanied by a snarl forced a gasp. Finally managing to rid her head of the fogginess her eyes settled on the monster who'd brought her to this kami forsaken mansion. Yanking her arm out of his hold she scowled and glared up at him. She was just about sick of this man. "What the hell do you want?"

A grin split Razan's lips. "It's time to go pet, Shishio is waiting for you."

"For what?" Kaoru bit out caustically as she rose and made to take a step back. She wasn't going anywhere with him _or_ Shishio.

Lightening fast, Razan's hand shot out and grabbed her arm with a crushing grip. "That you will soon find out," he replied as he led her from the room and down the hall. Kaoru gave a tentative tug on her arm to see if she had any hope and felt a small tingle of fear begin to stir when he tightened his grip. This wasn't good.

Beyond the wall encircling the mansion, Shishio leaned against the carriage and waited patiently for Razan to arrive with his angel. Today he would finally see what kind of power she housed within that petite, beautiful little body, somehting he had been anticipating since she'd arrived. Spying Razan leading her down the tunnel his heart sped up when his eyes met the glare of hatred she was leveling at him. It was a far cry from the empty look that had swam in their sapphire depths earlier. Grinning to himself, he watched the flicker of defiance pass through her shining orbs before they shifted to the surrounding landscape and then it vanished under one of undisguised hope. His grin widened even further when he realized she was going to try to escape again.

Ignoring the man staring dead at her with a grin, Kaoru simply stared in disbelief at the salvation she'd been desperately hoping for. The dirt road beyond the carriage lay open and empty, inviting her to break and run. To either side of the path lay a dense forest marching away into the distance, if she could get to the trees she could vanish, Aoshi had trained her well. Gathering herself, she wrenched her arm out of her tormentor's grasp and sprinted out of the tunnel, ignoring Shishio as she fled past him down the dirt road aiming for the trees only a scant fifty yards away.

Surprised, Razan made to run after her but came up short when Shishio threw out his arm to stop him.

"She won't get far, she is mine. Mind, soul...and body."

Running for all she was worth, Kaoru didn't even notice her raven locks coming loose from her hair tie to flow out behind her, the golden highlights twinkling in the sunlight. Freedom was just within her grasp, mere yards away, when she began to feel as if she was running through water. First ankle high but getting deeper and deeper the further she got down the road until she felt as if she was fighting against the driving current of a river. Panting, she dropped to her knees and tried to crawl, moving one knee she fought against the invisible force trying to pull her back. A cry of anger ripped from her throat when she was completely stopped, unable to move any further.

Slowly the pull began to recede allowing her to glance over her shoulder. Her heart plunged to her feet when she saw Shishio walking towards her, a knowing smile on his lips. The closer he came to her the more movement she was allowed until she was finally able to stand. Eyeing him warily she backed away from him as he halted, and immediately felt the pull drag at her again the further she moved away from him. Kaoru started to shake as realization struck her hard in the gut. She really was bound to him with unbreakable chains just as her mother had said.

Horrified, a shriek of fury and hopelessness tore from the very depths of her soul, shattering the silence of the forest. Losing control she clutched her head and fell to her knees as something began to answer her call pushing against the barrier, aching to break free. The need to destroy what was harming her flowed out from deep inside her mind, battering itself against the flimsy wall holding it back. Terrified she reinforced the barrier just in time, stopping it from breaking loose. Suddenly exhausted she fell forward, resting her forehead on the dusty ground. Kami, what _am I_?

Shishio loosened his grip on the bond as he closed the distance between them, sure she wasn't going to try anything again. He could feel her terror echoing along the bond. She'd been cowed by her own lack of knowledge, her fear of the unknown and of herself. Grinning, he realized it wouldn't take much to push her far enough to lose control...she was the ultimate weapon and nothing would stand in his way now.

In a couple of steps he reached her huddled form and leaned down to grasp her arm. He was surprised when she yanked out of his grip and stood, backing away slowly.

"What am I?" Kaoru growled angrily, still feeling terribly unbalanced.

Shishio simply smiled. "You, my dear, are the weapon that will bring Japan to its knees."

Kaoru's temper snapped, flying at him she grabbed ahold of his gi. Her eyes flaring as she fisted the fabric in a white-knuckled grip. "WHAT AM I?"

A grin touched Shishio's lips, loosening her hold on his gi he pulled her tight to his chest. "Do you really want to know what you hold within you, sweet angel?" he teased. Leaning his forehead against hers he murmured, "You have within you both the power to heal and the power to destroy those who would harm you. Passed down to you by our founding mother Takashi Akiko...a fallen angel."

Kaoru stiffened. Pulling away from him as far as she could she met his eyes as a tingle of fear crawled up her spine. "Angel? What do you mean?" When he remained silent, she scoffed. "You're insane. I've never healed or destroyed anything before in my life."

A sly grin lit up Shishio's face. "Ah but you see, my dear, you were unable to use the healing part of your blood unless you were bonded...but now that you are mine neither of us can be harmed much less die." And then he leaned until his nose was almost brushing hers. "And the destruction part has lain dormant because of your own lack of knowledge. Do you know, you could have killed me with it before I formed the bond but now it's too late, not even that will kill me now." Relishing the shudder that swept through her body he placed a soft kiss on her slightly parted lips, "I will use what's inside you to destroy my enemies."

Kaoru stared at him in horror. Yanking herself out of his hands she fell back onto the ground, "I'm not what you say I am, I could never kill anyone...ever!"

"Yes you can, my dear, and you will." Reaching down he took hold of her arm and hauled her to her feet, leading her towards the carriage. "We go now to see just what kind of destruction you are capable of."

Kaoru fought against his iron grip, twisting and wrenching against his pull. Deep down a part of her knew he was right, she could destroy even against her will. She'd felt it when the power he was talking about had surged up desperately wanting to hurt him for harming her. A moment later she was shoved roughly into the carriage and she sprawled across the seat knocking her head hard against the bare wood. With a grimace she righted herself and spun around intending to jump back out but came up short when Shishio joined her within on the facing seat. Scooting back she slammed herself against the far wall, trying to get as far away from him as possible. The carriage suddenly jerked forward violently and she was abruptly thrown into his lap. A small cry escaped her as she impacted with his chest. Instantly she straightened and darted away from him, curling into the far corner.

A small chuckle escaped Shishio's lips as he eyed her slight form tucked into the corner. She look like a frightened rabbit...ah but a beautiful rabbit. Regrettable as it was he was going to have to get rid of Yumi now but the nubile little filly before him would more than make up for the loss.

Unable to meet the hungry look Shishio had leveled on her Kaoru ignored him the best she could and stared out the window watching the trees pass by. A sudden cold chill swept through her body making her shiver uncontrollably. She couldn't take much more. The very thought of being chained to him for the rest of her life was already pushing her perilously close to the edge, she could feel the power swimming behind the barrier agitated by her fear. What frightened her the most at the moment was that she couldn't control what was in her, she was afraid of what would happen if it was ever unleashed.

Closing her eyes she tried to quiet her fear to calm the raging monster in her mind. Unbidden Kenshin, Yahiko and Sano's faces popped up pulling at her heart. Kami she missed them, the arguments between Sano and Yahiko, Kenshin's quiet strength. She wondered if Kenshin even knew she was gone yet. Shaking her head she knew he probably didn't. He had enough to worry about with the destruction of Tomoe's grave and hunting down the one who would do such a thing, he was likely still in Kyoto. Curling further into herself a single tear escape her closed lids. It didn't matter if he did or not anyway, there was no way he could save her...no one could, she was truly lost to the ones she loved.

Shishio watched her tighten herself further into a ball, he could feel the complete loss of hope echo through the bond. She was finally starting to realize there was no possibility of escape. Pleased he glanced out the window to judge their locale. Perfect. Reaching across the carriage he knocked his fist against the wooden wall, signaling Razan to stop. Instantly the carriage came to a screeching halt, throwing Kaoru into his lap again as it rocked. The smile on his face turned into a full-fledged grin at the feel of her soft body pressed against him, locking his arms around her he murmured in a low voice, "Come, my dear, time to see what you can do."

With that he let her go, opened the door and stepped out, offering her his assistance.

Kaoru ignored his outstretched hand and hesitantly stepped from the carriage, fighting down the sickening feel of his lust that was seeping through the solid barrier she'd built to block him out. Tightening the barrier even more she sighed when the feeling completely disappeared. Doing her best to ignore his physical presence she glanced to their surroundings and took note of the sea of green that went as far as she could see, the trees only broken by the path leading back towards the mansion and down the mountain.

Suddenly her wrist was locked in a tight grip and she was led through the underbrush along a small deer path. Prickers pulled and tore at the soft material of her hakama, jabbing painfully into her skin every once in a while. Ignoring the tiny bites into her skin she walked along after Shishio, trying to figure out if there was some way to stop him from unleashing the power within her. There had to be a way, it was inside her after all, not him. She had to have some kind of control over it. She couldn't allow him to break the barrier again, even now the power gently prodded against the barrier in hopes of destroying her enemies.

So lost in her internal quest Kaoru didn't notice when they broke out of the dense foliage and into a wide open area. Continuing her forward motion she walked right into Shishio's still form. With a surprised hiss, she stumbled back and looked around in an attempt to get her bearings again. Her breath hitched in her throat when she peeked around Shishio and saw the beautiful emerald green meadow rolling away in all directions, the healthy knee high grass gleaming in the afternoon sunlight. Stepping up beside him she noticed a huge lone sakura tree standing solitary in the middle of the field, it's heavily laden limbs reaching high up into the heavens.

A tug on her arm set her to moving again. Icy fear gripped ahold of her, freezing the blood in her veins as Shishio led her towards the tree. The sure purpose in his stride alerting her that the moment was near. She had to find a way to stop him _now_! She couldn't let him win, she didn't want to see what she was capable of.

As they neared the sakura tree Shishio drew her fallen ribbon from his gi. Leading her under the heavily laden branches he lifted her arm to the lowest limb, fighting against her insistent tugging as he tied her wrist to the branch and stepped away. The fear swirling in her sapphire eyes set his heart to thumping fiercely in his chest. Grabbing ahold of her writhing form he locked her in a hard kiss relishing the softness of her lips beneath his, The sweetness of her taste and despair was a heady elixir driving him to want more even though he knew he shouldn't.

Kaoru's stomach heaved violently as Shishio trailed his tongue along her bottom lip, trying to force his way into her mouth. She tried pulling away from him but he had her locked in a bone crushing grip, she could barely breath let alone move. After trailing several nipping kisses across her mouth he finally released her and stepped back. She spat at him, trying to rid herself of the feel of his lips against hers.

"Do that again and I _will_ find a way to kill you!" She threatened, any fear she'd had quickly burning away under the anger that pulsed through her veins.

A small smile graced Shishio's lips. "Nothing can kill me, sweet angel," he taunted, trailing his finger along the soft skin of her cheek. "But if simply kissing you ignites such anger I will have to do it more often. I do love fiery women."

Kaoru shivered, sickened by his touch. Glaring at him she reached up and started picking at the knot trying to free her wrist, her fear building steadily again as the memory of the stone room flitted through her mind. She couldn't take that again

Shishio grabbed a hold of her hand and shook his head, "I can't let you do that." Accepting the line of rope Razan held out he tied her other wrist to another limb successfully securing her to the tree. With a smile he stepped to admire his handiwork. She resembled the foreign god that some of the people were starting to worship, all she was missing was the crown of thorns on her head. Shaking his head he amended that, no she's a goddess...a goddess of destruction.

His personal goddess.

Shishio grinned at the thought and glanced to Razan, "Stay close to the tree, she will kill you if you're not near her." With that he spun on his heel and started to make his way to the edge of the trees again, he wanted to see the full view of her power.

Glaring at Shishio's back Kaoru desperately fought against the bonds holding her. Strangling fear tightened her throat as the power started pushing more insistently against the barrier, fighting to break free. Quickly realizing her agitation was making the battle futile she stopped fighting and focused on calming herself instead. Taking several slow even breaths to calm her racing heart she was rewarded when the power quieted settling into a dull throb, eddying softly behind the wall.

A sudden lash against the barrier made Kaoru scream in mental pain, causing the power to lurch up again and batter violently against the barrier. Fighting for control she grabbed ahold of the barrier with an iron fist and poured all of her strength into keeping the wall in place. Another lash weakened her hold and to her horror she felt the barrier crack under the pressure. Sealing the crack quickly she waited for another lash, ready to reinforce the barrier again if need be. When none came she relaxed somewhat and opened her eyes, across the meadow she could see Shishio leaning against a tree, his blood red eyes glowing in the sunlight. A faint chuckle drifted to her on the wind and Kaoru narrowed her eyes, he was enjoying this, she could feel the glee slide along the bond slipping into her skin. A sudden surge of anger tore through her chest. Grabbing ahold of the bond she viciously slammed the barrier closed in an attempt to severe the link. A hiss of pain echoed through the quiet meadow and she smiled in satisfaction when she opened her eyes and saw Shishio bent over on his knees gripping his head.

Yet what she didn't realize was that her rebellion only fueled his sadistic nature.

Shaking off the headache her weak retaliation caused, Shishio righted himself slowly as a malicious laugh bubbled up from deep within his chest. So she wanted a fight huh? Fixing her with an icy glare, he almost smiled when her sapphire eyes grew impossibly large. For long moment he simply held her gaze, prolonging her torment, and then he gathered his strength and lashed out again with all the power he could muster. She would break whether she wanted to or not.

An ear-piercing scream ripped from Kaoru's throat as her body jerked from the impact of the mental whiplash. Losing her hold on the barrier it shuddered and split under the onslaught. Allowing the power to surge out of its prison it exploded out of her very pores, wrapping the tree she was bound to in a bright golden cocoon. Dark, thundering clouds materialized in the sky, throwing bolts of lightning to the ground in a deadly dance, splitting trees and the ground in it's wake. A howling wind followed, its roar preceeding the ripping of trees from their hold to be tossed away like grassblades. The earth shivered and exploded around the entire tree caving into itself before it rolled out like a carpet throwing chunks high into the sky to bounce off the shield surrounding her.

The sight and sound of it all overwhelmed the witnesses.

Shishio laughed as the power exploded from her wrapping them both in a protective shell. He felt a tentacle of the power shoot through the bond, intent on harming him in any way it could. Waiting for it to finally reach him he laughed again when it burned away in the bright glow surrounding him. Turning his attention to the destruction being leveled on the meadow and the surrounding forest he watched mesmerized as the wave of earth neared him only to split and curve around him leaving him untouched yet continuing to roll past him, leveling everything in its path. Shifting his eyes to Kaoru a chuckle escaped him, she was so bright he could barely see the outline of her figure within the golden globe surrounding the tree. He could feel the battle being waged inside her mind, tilting his head to the side he idly wondered if she would be able to win or if he'd have to step in and help her lock it down.

Consumed in a battle to keep her sanity Kaoru fought tenaciously for control as the unleashed monster within ruthlessly ripped her mind apart. The sheer force of its need to destroy the one hurting her pulling her into a maelstrom of endless darkness. Trying to build a barrier she screamed in fury as the power shredded it before she could get it caged. Determined to lock the beast down she tried again and again to build the wall only to have the power begin to rip it apart. Despairing at her inability she gasped as an outside presence suddenly stepped in and threw up a temporary barrier, allowing her time to complete hers. Sealing the power down she sighed and sagged in relief, exhausted from the battle. A barely discernable whisper filtered into her battered mind, the sadness in the voice echoing through her soul.

"_Gomen, little one, this is all my fault_."

Tears welled up in Kaoru's eyes, the pain in the whispered entreaty touching something deep inside her heart. She couldn't take anymore, she just wanted to die and be free of the beasts within her and those without.

Shishio scowled when he felt another presence enter Kaoru's mind and help her block the power. Suddenly the glow surrounding them faded leaving them open to the aftereffects of the power's destruction. Tremors continued to shake the ground beneath his feet as the earth settled back into itself. Slowly making his way over the torn ground he reached Kaoru's limp figure and reached up, releasing one wrist as Razan did the same with the other. Catching her before she crumbled to the ground he lifted her into his arms and started his way back to the carriage; grinning triumphantly. He didn't need man-made weapons, all he needed was her.

Feeling the swaying motion of Shishio's gait, Kaoru slowly opened her eyes and felt sick when she saw destruction surrounding them. Rising up slightly, she peeked over Shishio's shoulder to see the full extent of what she'd done and immediately regretted it. The sakura tree remained untouched in the middle of what used to be the meadow, its blossoms shivering in the light breeze that swept over them, looking surreal in the midst of chaos. The emerald green grass was completely buried beneath the chunks of broken earth, the forest in the distance now leveled for as far as the eye could see. The trees ripped from the ground to lay in broken heaps. Closing her eyes she sank into the darkness of exhaustion tickling the edge of her senses as tears ran unchecked down her cheeks. She truly was a monster if she could destroy so much simply with her mind.

Tucking the now sleeping Kaoru closer to his chest, Shishio carefully picked his way over the broken ground until he finally reached what was left of the trail leading down the mountain. It had been completely destroyed for as far as the eye could see in both directions. Directly across from him, the carriage lay in broken pieces against the trunk of a monstrous tree stump tilting haphazardly to the side, the horses lay in a heap speared by limbs that had been driven ruthlessly through their sides linking them together even in death. Turning to Razan a lazy smile touched his lips, "Looks like we're walking".

With that he started picking his way over the ground back towards the mansion, cradling Kaoru's sleeping form even tighter. He wasn't going to let anything happen to his precious angel, she was far too valuable to lose now.


	11. For What Is Mine

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

Chapter 10 - For What Is Mine

Kenshin strode through the busy streets, ignoring the fearful glances and wide berths the other travelers were giving him as he made his way back to the dojo. He knew he must look like a demon intent on killing any who crossed his path but he didn't care, not anymore. Makoto had done something he should never had done, he'd awoken the killer. Trying to push down the bloody thoughts continuing to whirl in his mind he focused his attention on the path and tried to settle the anger that seemed to be an entity all its own. It would serve no purpose to let it push him into doing something rash.

His fist tightened as he went over the information Saitou had just given him. He'd been right all along, Kaoru was special and now she was in the hands of a ruthless killer who would use her and may even kill her to extract his revenge on the government that had tried to kill him. The very thought churned his stomach and his anger spiked all over again. A few moments later he finally reached the dojo and pushed open the gate to reveal Yahiko sitting on the front steps waiting for him. Without a word to the worried looking boy Kenshin strode past him and went directly to his room to retrieve the money he'd saved over the past months. Collecting the small bag he went back out and dropped it in Yahiko's lap. "Go purchase a train ticket to Kyoto for me."

"Where is she?" Yahiko asked as he glanced up. "Is she in Kyoto?"

Kenshin shook his head, he knew exactly where Kaoru was. That scream would reverberate through his soul for the rest of his life. "No, she's not in Kyoto, but it's the fastest way to reach where she is."

"Oh...ok, I'll be right back." Yahiko sprang to his feet and immediately headed off to do his bidding.

Kenshin stared after his retreating form as the boy ran out the gate, planning out what was next. What else did he need to do before he left to retrieve what was his? With a twinge of regret he realized there was one more thing he definitely needed. Stepping from the porch he made his way to the training hall to look for the item. As he glanced around the shadowed interior memories of Kaoru training Yahiko filtered into his mind, pulling at his heart. She didn't deserve what Makoto was going to do to her.

Not seeing what he was looking for within he shook his head to clear the images and made his way over to the storehouse. If there was one here it would most likely be in there. A simple tug had the doors swinging wide and he scanned the loaded shelves hoping to see something that would resemble what he was looking for. It didn't take him long to find the wrapped bundle sitting innocently on the shelf behind a crate full of what must have been some of Kaoru's father's clothes. Shifting the crate to the side he slowly lifted the bundle and set it down on the floor, peeling away the wrappings to reveal what he'd been looking for. A sheathed katana.

With shaking hands Kenshin picked it up and drew the blade, eying the shining surface twinkling in the afternoon sun. Another wave of regret flowed through his veins as he stared at his reflection in the gleaming metal. He'd never wanted to pick up another katana but now Shishio had driven him to the point where he was ready to break his vow never to kill. Closing his eyes, his fist tightened around the hilt. For Kaoru he would kill. For her he would rid the world of the two men who thought they could get away with trying to destroy her innocence, they didn't deserve to live.

A sigh escaped his lips as he sheathed the blade and stood to search for a whetstone among the other items and crates on the shelves. Finally finding it tucked in the corner towards the back he grabbed it and made his way out to the front porch, making a quick side trip to fill a bowl of water on his way. Settling down on the first step he arrayed the items the way he needed then dipped his hand into the water and trickled a thin stream over the whetstone. Withdrawing the blade again he slowly drew it across the smooth surface, honing the edge to a lethal sharpness in preparation to pierce the flesh of the men who thought they could touch what was his.

_**oooooooooooooooooo**_

Sano shifted slightly, grimacing as the stitches in his chest pulled taut, bringing him more into wakefulness. His mind still fogged from the short nap he'd fallen into when Megumi had left, he laid quietly and tried to figure out what it was that had awoken him. Tilting his head to the side a soft grating sound drifted to him from the other side of the closed door. What the hell is that?

Levering himself up into a sitting position he winced again as the wound in his shoulder started to throb, sending shooting pains down his arm. He shouldn't be doing this, If the fox saw him she would skin him alive. He grinned, what the fox didn't know wouldn't kill him, or in this case she wouldn't. Besides he was just about sick of lying in bed all day. It wouldn't be so boring if the fox would at least join him but when he'd mentioned to her that he would love some company under the blankets her face had turned beet red and she'd clenched her fist tightly. Obviously fighting the urge to slap him, she'd given him a look that said as soon as he was better he was going to get a sound beating.

He chuckled softly at the memory of her 'you're dead' look and pushed his way to his feet with his good arm. Slowly padding out into the hallway he made his way towards the sound that seemed to be coming from the front porch. As he neared the door he finally understood what he was hearing, steel against stone. Shuffling out onto the porch he stopped, surprised by the sight before him. Kenshin sat crouched over a whetstone, methodically dragging a katana across its surface. Attention solely fixed on the task he was performing. The oblivious man hadn't even noticed when he'd come out on the porch.

"Sano, what are you doing?"

Startled Sano stared at his friend's bowed head. A light chuckle escaped his lips, he should've known, Kenshin would never be completely ignorant of his surroundings. "I was going to ask you the same thing," he said as he gingerly sat down in front of the redhead, worried by the presence of the katana.

After a moment Kenshin looked up, a ghost of a smile playing across his lips. "I'm getting ready to retrieve what is mine."

Unnerved by the smoldering golden gaze fixed on him, Sano replied, "So you know who has her."

Kenshin nodded as anger ignited in his chest again. He was having a hard time keeping it locked down, it seemed to have a life all its own. He'd never felt like this before, it was as if the protective side of him had grown fangs ready to rip apart anyone who so much as thought of hurting one hair on Kaoru's head and Makoto would do worse. He knew this already and that made it even harder for him to keep it caged. Struggling for control he went back to sharpening the blade, the only thing that seemed to soothe the beast. "Yes...I know who has her."

"And you think you need a katana to get her back? What about your vow?" Sano asked. He knew he sounded more like a father than a friend right now, but Kenshin had always kept to his vow no matter what. And if truth be told he didn't want to see the ex-hitokiri break it, even to get Kaoru back.

Kenshin glanced back up again surprised by Sano's tone, his heart warmed at seeing the concern on the ex-fighter's face. Setting aside the katana he gave Sano a reassuring smile. "I'm only going to use it if there's no other way to get her back."

Sano eyed him in disbelief, he wasn't sure he believed that. Kenshin's eyes were still a bright gold, they hadn't reverted back to their violet color yet and that meant something. "So you gonna tell me who has her?"

A pregnant paused filled the space between them before Kenshin murmured, "Shishio Makoto."

Sano started at the name, his sudden movement pulling at his stitches again. "What? Why would he want her? Is he after you?"

Shifting his eyes to the bright blue sky Kenshin shook his head, "No, the one he wanted all along was Kaoru and I failed to protect her."

"But why would he want her?" Sano asked confused. There was no other reason for him to want her except to get back at his predecessor.

Kenshin was just about to answer when the gate slammed and an angry voice suddenly ripped through the quiet of the yard.

"SANOSUKE!"

Sano's head snapped around at the sound of Megumi's voice echoing around the yard. He swore and cringed when his eyes came to rest on her furious face, her arms loaded with clean bandages. Damn, he was in trouble now.

"What are you trying to do, baka? Kill yourself?" Megumi growled as she stalked over to where he sat innocently on the porch.

He shrugged and gave her the sweetest grin he could dig up. "Needed to get out of that damn bed."

Megumi's eyebrow started to twitch. It would be a miracle if she managed to keep herself from beating him silly. He was definitely in for it when he was healed, nothing would stop her then. "Get back into that bed NOW!" she grated through clenched teeth, pointing at the door the best she could with her burden.

Figuring he was already dead Sano gave her a sultry look as a teasing grin played across his lips. "If you join me, sure."

Megumi's scowl deepened, her hands fisting around the bandages, "Not on your life, roosterhead. Now move it!"

Before Sano could come up with a retort a light chuckle broke through their battle of wills.

"Sano, you might as well go back to bed, you're not going to win."

Sano swung his head around at the undisguised humor in Kenshin's voice. His eyes widened when he noticed his friends eyes had finally changed back to violet with just a hint of gold around the edges. A huge grin surfaced on his face, "You're probably right, she can be vicious when she wants to be."

"Tori-a..ta..ma!"

"Alright, alright you win. I'll go back to bed" Sano gave in, she would likely drag him in by his hair if he didn't go himself. Levering himself up slowly he mumbled, "Damn woman it's just a scratch."

"A scratch? I'll give you a scratch."

Oh he couldn't resist this one, she would definitely kill him for this. Sliding his attention to her, he gazed longingly at her with hope filled eyes, "Really? Promise?"

Megumi's cheeks flushed even more. Unsure if it was from embarrassment or anger, and not really wanting her to decide he was healthy enough for a beating, Sano shuffled back into the dojo and headed towards his room. At least his little banter session with the fox had helped bring his friend back to normal.

Kenshin watched the pair disappear into the dojo leaving him alone once again with his thoughts. Staring up into the clear sky his mind wandered over similar exchanges he'd had with Kaoru. She was ever a feisty one, that was one of the many things he loved about her. She was a fighter, it took a lot to knock her down and he hoped she'd be able to stay strong against Shishio...at least until he got there. Anger sparked in his chest again his eyes immediately taking on their amber hue. The mere thought of her in Makoto's hands was enough to call the beast to the surface. Maybe what Saitou had said was true, he was destined to protect her...and he'd failed.

Sheathing the katana he pulled out his sakabatou and began honing the inside edge. He would get her back one way or another even if he had to kill Shishio to do it. He wouldn't fail again.

_**oooooooooooooooooo**_

An hour later Kenshin was wrenched from his thoughts when the front gate suddenly slammed open, the sound of wood knocking hard against wood echoing through the quiet yard. Swinging his head around he was surprised to see Misao enter, closely followed by Aoshi and Yahiko. Shocked by the presence of the two from Kyoto he watched them make their way to the porch, the look on Misao's face a mirror of his own earlier.

"I'm going with you, Himura!" She stated in a voice that brooked no argument when she reached the porch. Aoshi however simply stood quietly behind her, his expression unreadable.

Kenshin shook his head and caught Aoshi's eye. An unvoiced understanding passed between the two of them and a slight tilt of Aoshi's head showed him the Okashira would go along with his wishes. Shifting his attention back to Misao, he fixed her with an unwavering amber gaze and replied, "Not this time, Misao."

Misao immediately opened her mouth to argue but stopped when Aoshi laid a hand on her shoulder.

"This is his fight, we cannot help him."

"But...but she's my _best friend_, I can't just leave her in the hands of some...some..._monster_!" Misao virtually screamed. Swinging around she nailed Aoshi with a hard glare. A flicker of understanding passed through the Okashira's eyes and she finally understood. He wanted to go too but he wouldn't, Kenshin had to do this alone.

"Battousai will get her back," He murmured softly. "We will wait for him here."

Misao sagged a little, all the fight going out of her. Turning back to Kenshin she pierced him with a glare. "Better make it quick, Himura, because if whoever has her hurts her in any way I'll hunt them down and turn them into a pincushion." With that she spun on her heel and stalked around the corner of the dojo heading towards the training hall, her fists clenched so tightly her fingers went numb from the pressure.

Kenshin silently watched her go. He understood exactly how she felt but he had to do this alone, it was his fault Kaoru was gone so it was up to him to get her back. Shifting his eyes to Aoshi he nodded, "Thank you."

The tall man simply returned the nod then asked, "Who has her?"

Kenshin scowled and kept a tight hold on his anger as he replied, "Shishio Makoto."

A look of understanding passed across the Okashira's face. "Your successor."

Kenshin felt his hold slip slightly, "Yes."

Aoshi simply nodded and without another word, followed the path Misao had taken. Now he understood why Battousai had to do this alone, it was personal. He would do the same himself if it were Misao.

Once the yard was empty save for Kenshin, Yahiko finally made his way to the porch and held out the train ticket. "It doesn't leave until tonight."

Kenshin accepted the ticket and looked up into Yahiko's worried face, "Don't worry, I'll get her back."

Yahiko simply nodded and walked into the dojo. It was going to be hard to wait for Kenshin to come back but he knew he was in no shape to go. It would be better if he stayed here and waited for his adopted sister's return. He knew Kenshin could do it, he just hoped he wouldn't break his vow in the process.

_**oooooooooooooooooo**_

Kaoru sat in the garden and watched the shadows lengthen as the sun dipped out of sight making its way over the horizon. She'd been out here ever since she'd awoken from a nightmare to find herself tucked securely in her bed, the memory of the destruction she'd caused chasing her out of the blessed darkness. She'd tried to go back to sleep to hide from the horror of what she was capable of but her mind had refused. So she had drifted out here to relive the nightmare over and over and over. The weight of the world seemed to settle on her shoulders as the sun dipped lower. What had she done to deserve this? Why was she cursed with this power, this beast inside her?

Kaoru sighed at the unanswerable questions and trailed shaking fingers along the blade beside her, wondering if she was strong enough to take her own life. She couldn't allow Shishio to do again what he'd done today. She now understood exactly what he was going to do with her. He was going to use her to destroy Tokyo, the seat of the Meiji government. She couldn't let him do that...ever. The very thought of it made her sick.

Gently grasping the leatherbound hilt, she lifted the blade from the grass and gazed at the sad eyes reflecting back at her from the shiny steel. Could she do it? Could she save all those she loved? Was she strong enough?

She placed the blade against her wrist and held it there, willing her hand to make the slice that would save all those who didn't deserve to die because of Shishio's hate. She didn't even know if it would work, the blade hadn't killed Shishio in the garden. Would the power inside her allow her to die? Tears began tracing wet paths down her cheeks, dripping unheeded from her chin to wet the soft material of her gi. She didn't want to die yet, not without seeing Kenshin but to live meant to kill him and everyone else she loved. She couldn't do that either.

Steeling her heart, she pushed the blade more firmly against her wrist and grimaced when it bit into her skin. With a quick tug she sliced the flesh open to the bone and watched as a puddle of blood welled up and began dripping to the ground, reddening the grass. And then much to her dismay a bright golden glow emanated from the cut sealing it completely, stopping her from saving everyone she loved.

Screaming in fury Kaoru flung the blade away. "_WHY_? Why won't you let me die!"

"Because you are now bound to _me_, sweet angel, there is nothing in this world that can kill either one of us."

Kaoru stiffened and swung her head around at the hated voice. Shishio stood on the porch just outside his room, a slight grin turning up the corners of his mouth. "There is no way to escape your destiny, my love."

Leveling a hate filled glare on him, she rose and made her way to her room slamming the shoji closed behind her. There had to be a way to stop him, he couldn't be allowed to unleash the beast inside her again.

A bone deep sigh escape from her lips and Kaoru set about changing into one of the soft yukatas in the chest then curled up on the futon, staring at the carved sakura tree. It looked just like the one that still remained standing in the broken meadow, its limbs brushing the ceiling as if it were trying to break free. An ache began to pulse dully in her chest, squeezing her heart. A single tear escaped the corner of her eye to drop soundlessly onto the blanket. She wanted that too. She wanted to break free, to take her life back from the beasts who now ruled her. An image of the destruction she had wrought floated before her eyes again, reminding her just how powerless she was against Shishio.

Closing her eyes tight against the truth she willed the nightmare into the farthest reaches of her mind, successfully burying it in the depths of her subconscious before it drove her mad. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she drifted off to sleep, her mind completely empty allowing her to slip into a dreamless sleep, falling away from the world that no longer held any beauty, just an endless sea of misery.

_**oooooooooooooooooo**_

In the early morning hours, the mansion lay silent as Yumi slipped from beneath the blankets she shared with Shishio. Careful not to wake the man sleeping beside her, she silently retrieved the blade she'd hidden earlier from beneath the futon and padded softly to the closed shoji. Soundlessly easing it open, she slipped from the room as a pair of blood red eyes slid open in the darkness.

With an inaudible click, Yumi slid the door closed behind her and hastened to the room next door before she lost her nerve. Slipping into the moonlit room on silent feet, her eyes were immediately drawn to the sleeping figure nestled under the blankets and she frowned at the young woman who thought she could replace her in Shishio's affections. It was time to rid herself of this nuisance; there was no way she would allow herself to be replaced.

Fisting her hand around the hilt of the dagger, she knelt down beside the sleeping woman and poised herself to drive the blade through her heart when the woman's blue eyes suddenly popped open and she bolted upright.

Startled Yumi fell back and just barely managed to catch herself from falling over completely. She scowled blackly as she righted herself and prepared once again to drive the blade into the woman's chest before the other could gather her wits enough to fight back. But what she didn't expect was the slight smile that suddenly tugged at the woman's lips, the hope shining her blue eyes knocking Yumi off balance.

And then she was caught completely off guard when the woman whispered, "Please..."

The quiet entreaty surprised Yumi so badly that she almost dropped the dagger. Gazing into the sad eyes staring back at her she couldn't believe what she was hearing, this woman wanted to die. But... why? What could have happened that would make this woman want to end it all right now?

A heartbeat later, her questions became mote as a sharp pain suddenly pierced her back and she stiffened as it continued to burn all the way through her body until she saw the blade slip from her chest, drops of blood falling from the tip to splash soundlessly on the blanket. Gasping in agony, she barely felt the breath of moist air that whispered across her cheek as Shishio leaned in beside her ear and purred, "You thought to hurt what is mine, I cannot allow you to do that."

Yumi tore her eyes from the blade sticking out of her chest and found her eyes drawn to the woman in front of her. A thin trail of tears threaded their way down the woman's cheeks, the hope once brightening her eyes now replaced by an endless sadness in her darkened eyes.

"I'm sorry," she murmured as more tears slipped from her eyes. "It's all my fault, you didn't deserve this."

Realization struck Yumi hard as she felt herself begin to slip away. This woman had never been a rival, even more than a prisoner, she was simply trapped by circumstances beyond her control. One of Shishio's pawns, one he would likely destroy. Shaking her head Yumi smiled weakly and whispered, "This isn't your fault."

With a sigh, she succumbed to the darkness enveloping her and slipped from the world with the smile still gracing her lips. At least she was free. She felt a moment of pity before she was lost for this woman that never would be.

Kaoru watched in silence as the light faded from the woman's eyes. A sudden surge of unbridled loathing nearly stole her breath away and with a hate filled glare she slid her eyes to Shishio, "How could you do that, you bastard? She loved you."

Yanking the blade from his dead consort's body Shishio shrugged as the body slumped limply, "She was of no use to me anymore, I have you now."

Kaoru caught the falling woman and gently laid her on the futon, not caring about the blood soaking into the blanket. Clenching her fists so tightly her knuckles turned white she grated, "I swear by all that is holy I will find a way to kill you, not just for me anymore...but for her too."

Shishio snorted and leaned down to hefted Yumi's body onto his shoulder then made his way to the door. Reaching the threshold, he glanced back and smiled at her, "There is no way, sweet angel, accept it." With that he walked out the door and slid it closed behind him, leaving her to come to terms with the knowledge that she was his forever, there was no way she could escape him.

Kaoru simply stared at the door as she listened to his footsteps fade away, an icy determination settling into her very bones. He was right she was trapped but there had to be a way to rid herself of him. Aiko had done it. How, she didn't know, but that meant there was a way to be free of that monster and given enough time she would find it. She wouldn't remain his for long.

Rising from the bloody futon she made her way outside and sat beneath one of the sakura trees, staring up at the moon glowing softly in the heavens. There was no way she would be able to sleep now, the image of Shishio's blade protruding from his lover's chest would haunt her for the rest of her life. He truly was a heartless monster that needed to die, and she would be the one to kill him.


	12. One Step Closer

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

Chapter 11 - One Step Closer

Kenshin rolled to his feet and dusted himself off as the train continued on its course, completely ignorant of the fact that two of its passengers had just exited in a decidedly unconventional way. Glancing around at the slowly brightening landscape he smiled. It had been a perfect jump, a short distance from where he stood was the mountain range he'd passed on his way back from Kyoto. The peaks stretched out for as far as the eye could see in both directions, in particular though was his interest in the mountain face directly in front of him, Just visible was a small dirt track barely wide enough to fit a carriage leading up into the dense forest before vanishing out of sight. He knew without a doubt Kaoru was on this one somewhere. For some reason he'd begun to feel her presence under his skin as they drew closer to their destination, letting him know that she was at least alive. Now standing at the foot of the mountain it felt as if she was calling to him, somehow guiding him to her. He couldn't figure out why he felt this invisible link to her but he would use it if it would help him find her.

Centering himself on that feeling he reached down to retrieve his sakabatou and the katana from their landing place nearby. He cast a hooded glance at his companion as he slipped them into place at his side; the deep rumble of the train beginning to fade into the distance. A slight smirk turned up the corner of his lips as the scowl gracing his companion's features showed him just what his companion thought of their departure from the train.

Leveling his golden gaze on the man beside him he smirked devilishly. "Are you ready?"

Tucking his own katana into his belt Saitou glared at the redhead beside him. "Was that really necessary?"

Kenshin's smirk turned into a full-fledged smile. Ignoring the sarcasm dripping from his former enemy's voice he set off for the dirt track not really caring if his companion followed or not, he wasn't about to wait for anyone when Kaoru was so close.

Saitou snorted in disgust and followed in his nemesis' footsteps as a slight grin grew on his lips. Despite the humor in his companion's actions, the underlying coiled tension was still there. Battousai was fully awake, his ki virtually hummed with barely contained hostility. It shot out from the slight man, continuously brushing against his own. The killing intent aggravated him to the point where his hand itched for the feel of his katana. The katana tucked into his companion's belt hadn't gone unnoticed either; it seemed Battousai was dead serious in getting his little tanuki back.

Flipping a cigarette into his mouth he lit it and blew smoke rings into the air as anticipation bubbled up deep in his chest. Today was going to be very interesting, he only hoped he would get a chance to finally take on the infamous hitokiri again after he finished with the spineless murderer who thought he could get away with killing Kamiya's father.

Kenshin cast a quick glance over his shoulder as he closed the distance to the dirt track, eyeing the man following behind him. He'd been shocked to find Saitou already on the train when he'd boarded, his shock had quickly turned to anger though when the Wolf had simply given him a sly look and a nod. When asked what the hell he thought he was doing all the Wolf had said was that he had a score to settle. It seemed he'd taken Koshijiro's death personally and that was strange coming from this particular man.

With an inward shrug, Kenshin turned his attention back to the trail ahead of him. He really didn't care if the Wolf came along or not so long as he didn't get in the way when it came to taking Kaoru back from Shishio. That was something he would do alone. Beginning to climb up the mountain track he focused his attention on Kaoru's presence, the feeling becoming clearer and stronger with each step he took. It wouldn't be long now, soon he would have her in his arms again and this time he wasn't going to let go.

_**oooooooooooooooooo**_

From his vantage point atop the carriage he'd just acquired Razan watched the two men begin to ascend the dirt track that led to the mansion. A shake of the reins set the horses into motion again and he drove the carriage out from around the side of the mountain, pulling them to a stop at the mouth of the trail. With ease he jumped down and tied them to a tree then watched for the shadowed figures to disappear around the first bend in the road before he blurred his form into a shadow and raced through the trees beside the road disappearing into the dark forest.

Shishio would need to know about this, it seemed Battousai had decided to come and take back what was his and he'd even brought the Wolf of Mibu with him. A slight smile touched his lips as he flew through the underbrush; this day was going to prove to be very entertaining.

_**oooooooooooooooooo**_

Kaoru drifted in the space between sleep and awareness, a feeling of warmth permeating her body. Contentment filtered into her fogged consciousness, wrapping her in a blanket of security, caressing her very being. It almost felt like she was wrapped in a pair of strong arms protecting her, sheltering her, loving her. Shifting slightly she whispered "Kenshin?"

"No, my dear, but I'm sure we will see him soon."

Kaoru's eyes flew open when she felt a finger trail along her cheek, pushing a stray lock of hair off her face. The hated voice so close she could feel his breath whispering across her skin. Sitting up she quickly shot to her feet and backed away from the man squatting beside her. Disoriented she scanned the garden trying to get her bearings. She didn't remember falling asleep; the last thing she remembered was coming out here to get away from him and truth that he could so easily kill his lover without a second thought.

"What do you want?" she asked, moving further away from him.

Shishio rose and gazed at her curiously as she continued backing away from him, moving deeper into the grove towards the stone building. A sly smile grew on his lips, "What do I want? I'm not sure you're ready for what I want yet," he teased. Pleased with the shiver his statement coerced out of her he began walking towards her matching every step she took until she finally bumped into the wall. A flash of unease shot through her eyes before she pierced him with a hate-filled glare. Reaching out a hand towards her he chuckled when she recoiled from the gesture, "Come, sweet angel, it's time to get ready to go."

"Go? Go where?"

"I'm going to take you home."

Kaoru's eyes narrowed. Home? Why was he taking her home now? Suddenly the image of the destroyed meadow flashed before her eyes, reminding her just what he wanted. Fear struck deep into her heart. Shaking her head vehemently she glared at him, "No!"

Stepping towards her Shishio watched her flatten herself against the stone surface and started skirting to one side, trying to get away from him. Fixing her with a piercing black gaze, he grinned, "You don't have a choice my dear. You can come freely or by force, either way you will come." Moving another step towards her his grin widened as he watched her try to melt into the stone wall, her eyes growing impossibly wide. Tilting his head to the side he let his eyes travel up and down her body, the thin yukata barely leaving anything to the imagination, "It's time for you to dress. although I would prefer it if you would allow me to dress you. I'm can assure you that would be more enjoyable...for both of us."

Kaoru shivered in disgust at the mere thought of his hands on her. Shifting away from the wall she backed away from him until she started to feel the invisible strings pulling at her again. Growling she clenched her fists and leveled a murderous glare at him, "Let me go, you bastard!"

"Shishio sama?"

Shishio scowled and glanced over his shoulder at the man standing on the porch. "What is it?"

Razan dipped a bow and slid his eyes to Kaoru before fixing them back on Shishio, "Battousai has come to take back what was his, he's about halfway up the mountain."

"Really?" Shishio purred, a malicious grin lighting up his features. Shifting his eyes back to Kaoru he saw the look of cautious hope flicker across her features, "It seems you are more important to him than his long dead wife after all. I didn't expect him to leave Kyoto so soon."

Kaoru simply stared at him until what he'd said finally sank in and then her eyes narrowed into slits and she gazed at him suspiciously, "How did you know he was in Kyoto?" Watching the laughter dance through his eyes as his grin widened she finally understood. "You heartless monster, you did that to Tomoe's grave!"

"I needed him away from you and that seemed to be the best way to pull him out of Tokyo." He replied with a shrug. Ignoring the glare of pure hatred she leveled on him he turned fully towards Razan, "Is he alone?"

Razan's grin grew into a full-fledged smile as his mismatched eyes lit up with anticipation. "No, he brought Saitou Hajime with him."

A light chuckle escaped Shishio's throat, "It seems we'll both have a little entertainment before we leave."

Icy fear flowed through Kaoru drowning out all her anger as the implications of what he said hit her. If Kenshin came here Shishio would kill him, she knew without a doubt he would, she couldn't let him do that. Flying at him she grabbed ahold of his arm and swung him around. "You can't kill him!"

Shishio loosened her grip and dragged her against his chest, leaning in he pierced her with his now blood-red eyes. "He's come to try to take you from me, and even though his efforts will all be in vain I still need to fight for what is mine and...you...are...mine."

"I am NOT _yours_!" She all but shouted yanking herself out of his arms. "I will not let you kill him!"

"You cannot stop me, my dear." Shishio purred with a smile. "He will die today for being foolish enough to come here. I will rid myself of this nuisance and then there will be no one to stand in our way when we destroy the bastards who thought they could kill me."

Kaoru could only stare at him in horror as her heart hammering almost painfully against her ribs. There had to be a way to kill him, but she hadn't had enough time to figure out how. Not enough at all. Falling to her knees she wrapped her arms around her middle and hung her head in defeat. Kenshin didn't know Shishio couldn't die and now he would die because of her. Why? Why was this happening?

Shishio could feel her loss of hope echoing through the bond and he grinned at as he reached down and grasped her arm to guide her back to her feet. "Come, my dear, time to get ready for our visitors, they should be here soon." Turning his attention back to Razan he smiled. "Go wait for them at the mouth of the tunnel. You can have the Wolf but Battousai is mine." With that he guided his angel into the mansion, eager for the battle that was just moments away.

A deadening numbness settled into Kaoru's very bones and she followed behind him as tears streamed unnoticed down her cheeks. There was no reason to fight anymore, it was over. She couldn't win. He would kill the man she loved before her very eyes and there was no way she could stop him. Sinking to the futon when he released her she didn't even notice when he withdrew the cream colored kimono she had admired from the chest and laid it down beside her. She barely felt it when he grasped her chin and turned her to face him, "Snap out of it my dear, do you want him to see you broken?"

That snapped her out of her depression, shaking of the numbness Kaoru yanked her face out of his hand and narrowed her eyes. "I may be bound to you but I'm not broken, I will find a way to kill you before you can kill him."

Shishio smiled at the fire now filling her eyes. "You can try, sweet angel, but I doubt you will find a way. For there isn't one."

With that he rose and left her to dress as a rush of excitement flew though his veins, the surge of anticipation that followed putting a spring into his step as he made his way to his room. He'd been looking forward to this battle for a long time, his predecessor didn't deserve the Hitokiri Battousai title and now he was finally going to be able to rid the world of him and take the title that was rightfully his.

Soon he would have it all.

_**oooooooooooooooooo**_

Kenshin carefully picked his way over the broken ground his rage growing with each step. The killer within him itched to bleed the bastard who had made Kaoru do this. Everything was destroyed around him, everything but a lone sakura tree standing untouched in the destruction off to the left. He knew without even needing to see it that Shishio had tied Kaoru to that tree and done something to her to unleash whatever it was that hid inside her. Makoto had destroyed her innocence and the killer inside him was more than ready to take blood payment for the transgression.

Beside him Saitou smirked as his companion's ki flared even higher. Battousai was on the verge of losing it, the death grip he had on the katana in his belt paid testament to just how close the hitokiri was to the surface. This was the man he had come to grudgingly respect during the Bakumatsu. His hand twitched ever so slightly at the mere thought of finally being able to face him again. Shishio didn't stand a chance, he would die today for taking something that Battousai thought of as his. A light chuckle escaped his lips as excitement coursed through his veins, it looked like he would finally get his chance to finish what had started so long ago.

_**oooooooooooooooooo**_

Perched on the boulder beside the mouth of the tunnel Razan watched the two figures slowly materialize out of the dense forest, both walking resolutely up the dirt road towards him. A slight grin twitched the corner of his lips as he felt a killing ki brush against his. Eyeing the smaller man that seemed to be outlined by a flaming red aura the grin sprang fully to the surface. A shame he would never be able to cross blades with the infamous hitokiri striding towards him, it definitely would have been an entertaining fight. With an inward shrug he shifted his eyes to the taller of the two men and his smirk grew into a smile, but at least he would be able to play with the Wolf and that was something he'd been looking forward to for a long time. Slipping from his seat as they neared he stood before the mouth of the tunnel and waited patiently for his entertainment to begin.

Kenshin eyed the man blocking his path in irritation as he closed the last few yards to the mouth of the tunnel. He could feel Kaoru so strongly now it was almost as if she was standing right beside him. For the last half mile or so he'd begun to feel a frantic desperation through the link that made his protective instinct rage to comfort her. His steps had quickened as the feeling had spiked then died. Now only a few yards away from her the desperation he'd felt before came back tenfold and this man seemed to think he could stop him from getting to her. A light chuckle escaped his lips as he wrapped his hand around the hilt of the katana. But that was only the man's first mistake, his second was the knowing grin plastered on his face that made the killer in Kenshin itch to wipe off. Fighting down the urge to drive the blade through the man's chest he narrowed his eyes and pierced him with a deadly glare. He didn't have time for this; he would give the man one chance and one chance only.

"Move."

Razan chuckled as the ki emanating from the small man spiked; this man would have been a challenge for Shishio if his boss hadn't found a way to cheat death. Stepping aside he motioned for him to pass, "You may go but the Wolf stays here, we have unfinished business."

Kenshin nodded. Releasing his grip on the katana he strode through the tunnel into the compound, a cold calm settling over him like a blanket. Slipping silently down the deserted hallways he continued to follow Kaoru's presence as his mind embraced the killer within him. Soon...very soon he would have her back.

As Kenshin disappeared down the tunnel Saitou gripped his katana and eyed the man who seemed to think he would be a challenge for the Wolf of Mibu. "So, the spineless murderer thinks he can best me does he?" he drawled sarcastically.

A small smile graced Razan's lips, "I know I can."

An eager smile lit up Saitou features, drawing his katana he settled himself into his Gatotsu stance, "Then let's begin, I have another engagement shortly."

_**oooooooooooooooooo**_

Kaoru knelt stiffly on the dais and stared at her twisting hands as she wracked her in an effort to find a way to stop what was coming. If only there was more time, that's all she needed just a little more time. The answer had to be somewhere, she couldn't watch Kenshin die, it would kill her if she had to watch him die. Delving deep into her mind she searched frantically for the answer, there was still a little time left, hopefully that's all she would need.

Shishio chuckled lightly as he shifted his gaze from the closed shoji to the woman beside him, he could feel the utter turmoil her mind was trapped in. Idly wondering if maybe he should let her go back to her room he reached out a hand and gently pushed her hair back over her shoulder revealing her full profile to him. It just might break her completely to see Battousai die by his hand, she really did seem to love him. With a shake of his head he rejected the idea. She needed to see this, she needed to see that she was his and his alone. No one would come between them.

Feeling the finger trailing along the shell of her ear and then down her jaw Kaoru snapped out of her search and nailed the man beside her with a scathing glare, "What are you doing?"

"Just admiring what is mine."

Kaoru's eyes narrowed dangerously but before she could respond the soft grating of the shoji being opened drifted to her ears. Snapping her head around her heart stopped then began pounding madly against her ribs. This was it, there was no more time. Kenshin stood in the doorway, his glowing amber eyes locked onto her, all but swallowing her in his molten gaze. Without warning the sensation of arms wrapping around her protectively filtered through her body, causing a single tear to escape her eyes. She wasn't the one that needed protecting...he was. Absently she began to rise, the need to protect him from Shishio overruling all other thoughts when she was stopped dead suddenly, the invisible strings binding her in a tight grip.

"_LET ME GO YOU BASTARD_!" She screamed as he forced into sinking back to the dais.

A small chuckle was her only answer as Shishio rose and stepped off the dais. "Welcome, Battousai."

With effort Kenshin tore his eyes from Kaoru and shifted his attention to the well-dressed man standing before him. His eyes widened slightly as he took in the unblemished skin and seemingly perfect health of the man who had been burned years ago when the government had tried to rid themselves of him. Meeting the blood-red gaze fixed on him he smiled, this was the man who would die for ever thinking he could destroy Kaoru's innocence. Nodding slightly in acknowledgement he murmured, "Shishio."

A low growl coming from the dais suddenly caught his attention and Kenshin shifted his eyes back to Kaoru in time to see her wrestling against something he couldn't see. A spark of anger lit deep in his gut as she fought against whatever it was holding her.

"What have you done to her?" he grated in a steely voice as he looked back to Shishio.

"I have done nothing but tasted the sweet nectar of her body, it is her own blood that binds her to me." Shishio replied with a shrug. A tiny smirk curled the corner of his lips, "She is mine now, there is no way you can take her from me."

Kaoru quit fighting against the hold Shisho had on her and hung her head. He was right, there was no way Kenshin could save her and now he would die. "Don't fight him, Kenshin, he will kill you if you fight him. Leave now, while you can" she muttered, her throat tight on the words, not even sure if he would hear her or not. Tears dripped from her lashes to splash soundlessly onto her tightly clenched fists as a deadening hopelessness settled over her. She knew even if he did hear her he would still fight. Battousai was in control now; her Kenshin was gone, buried beneath the killer that would demand blood. It was just like with Jin'e but this time she could tell by his ki that he wouldn't back down even if she begged him.

The deadening of Kaoru's ki broke through the red haze that had begun to filter into Kenshin's mind at Shishio's words, allowing her softly whispered words to reach his ears. Shifting his eyes back to her he watched a single, crystalline tear fall from her eyes to splash soundlessly onto her hand. An aching need to wrap her in his arms gripped ahold of him making it hard to breathe. Purposefully striding across the room he continued to watch the tears fall as the rest of his senses kept a close eye on Shishio. Coming to her bowed head he reached out and lifted her face, "You are mine, Kaoru," He murmured softly as her watery blue eyes met his. "He stole you from me and now he will pay."

Inexplicable warmth flooded through Kaoru as he gently brushed away the wetness from her cheeks. The look in his amber gaze spoke the truth of his words, he loved her, this wasn't just Battousai this was her Kenshin too and he loved her. A shot of pain lanced through her heart at the realization. Pulling her face from his hand she gazed once again at her white knuckled fingers, "He can't die Kenshin, because of me he can't die," she whispered, the truth of her words cutting deep.

Confused by her confession Kenshin reached out his hand again but stopped when he felt a subtle shift in the air. Springing back from the katana that split the space between them he skidded to a halt instinctively drawing his sakabatou as he fixed his amber eyes on the man who now stood in front of Kaoru.

"That's enough, it's time to begin."


	13. Sacrifice

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

Chapter 12 – Sacrifice

Shishio grinned as he eyed the blade in his predecessor's hand. "You have chosen to fight me with a sakabatou when a katana rests at your hip." he remarked with a hint of laughter lacing his voice. "You truly do not deserve the Hitokiri Battousai title."

Kenshin's fist tightened around the hilt. Somewhere inside him the rurouni must still be trying to settle this without killing but if it came down to it he would draw the katana and kill Shishio. He would get Kaoru back even if he had to break his vow to do it. "It doesn't matter what I hold in my hand, I will take her back from you."

A humorless chuckle drifted into the room, "You can try but you will not succeed, she is mine for the rest of her life." Stepping out from in front of Kaoru Shishio's grin widened, with a sweeping gesture of a hand he motioned to his captive, "You can ask her if you like."

Kenshin's eyes narrowed as Kaoru's head snapped up. "Only until I can find a way to kill you, you bastard, and trust me I will." She bit out hotly.

Shishio ignored her outburst and strode across the floor to face him. "Shall we begin? She and I have an appointment in Tokyo and I wouldn't want to be late, those I wish to see have waited a long time to see me."

Kenshin slid his eyes from Kaoru to Shishio and back. He could feel her emotions swinging from anger to hopelessness and back again, her eyes reflecting each one. A sense of foreboding slipped into his skin as he continued to watch the emotions play across her face. There was something he didn't know and whatever it was was tearing her apart. Shifting his eyes back to Shishio he ignored the sinking feeling that something was terribly wrong and settled himself waiting for the first strike. He couldn't afford to be distracted now, he knew Shishio was going to be a challenge but he would beat him and get Kaoru back, of that he was sure.

At that moment Shishio flew forward on silent feet his katana poised and aimed to strike him across the chest. Racing forward to meet him their blades clashed with such force both were pushed back, the crash of steel against steel echoing around room sharply. Skidding to a halt Kenshin only had a second before Shishio was on him again, his blade bearing down to slice into his shoulder. Flinging up his own to block he pushed Shishio off and sprang at him slamming the dull edge of his blade into his enemy's chest as hard as he could.

A pain filled cry exploded in the room. Tearing his eyes from Shishio, Kenshin glanced at the dais. Kaoru sat clutching her chest as tears streamed from her tightly closed eyes, pain etched into every line of her face. His protective side flared to life with choking strength, flying at Shishio he flipped his blade and aimed it straight for the grinning man's sword arm, "_What the hell have you done to her_?"

Shishio shifted to the side and swung his blade up to block, flinging Kenshin back again. "I told you she is mine," He replied with a smile. "Whatever happens to me will happen to her, she is bound to me...do you understand? She...is..._mine_!"

Kenshin's eyes flashed angrily and he took a precious moment to try to understand just what his successor meant. And that split second of distraction was all the time Shishio needed to strike again.

With speed Kenshin didn't expect, Shishio flew forward, his katana poised to take him in the stomach. Seeing the blade too late, the redhead reflexively blocked and managed to deflect the katana slightly but it still wasn't enough. A pain-filled grunt tore from his throat as the blade bit deep, cutting a wide line across his chest. Stumbling backwards with a groan Kenshin slammed hard into a wall behind him, the shock of it caused another jolt of pain to rip through his chest. All of a sudden, from deep inside him, a surge of unbridled power exploded in his limbs and with amber eyes flashing he shoved off the wall and flew across the room. Seconds before his blade connected with Shishio's he flipped it and dragged the sharp edge up across Shishio's chest. "She will never be yours, not while I live!"

Another wail ripped through the room tearing at his soul. Swinging his head around Kenshin stared dumbfounded by the sight before him. Kaoru sat curled forward on the dais a bright golden glow engulfing her entire body. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the same glow encircle Shishio and he swung his attention back to his enemy in time to watch the wound he had just inflicted healed before his eyes.

With sudden clarity everything snapped together with an almost audible click as the glow faded around them both. What Shishio had said was true, Kaoru was bound to him somehow and because of this he couldn't die. Whatever was inside of her would heal his enemy no matter how hard he tried to kill him. Rage like he'd never felt before gripped ahold of him stealing his breath away. With godlike speed he flew at Shishio and slammed him to the floor, throwing the sakabatou away he drew the katana and pressed the edge of blade tight against the grinning man's neck. "Let. Her. Go. _Now_!"

Shishio chuckled. "Do it Battousai and all you will do is cause her more pain, face it...you cannot kill me." Shoving Kenshin off he stood to face his nemesis again. "There is no way to break the bond, she is mine..." throwing a sultry glance her way Shishio smiled "...all of her."

Kenshin couldn't contain the growl that bubbled up from deep inside. "Bastard" he bit out between clenched teeth, glaring murderously at Shishio. His hand tightened around the hilt of the katana as he fought to keep the red haze threatening to engulf his mind from succeeding. He knew Shishio was trying to goad him into doing something rash and he couldn't allow that. He needed a level head to figure out how to take Kaoru back from the bastard. Forcefully calming himself down he focused his mind on the problem before him. There had to be a way to break the bond, there had to be a weakness, one place that would assure Shishio's death even if he was bound to Kaoru. Suddenly it came to him as he eyed the tall man, maybe...just maybe that would do it. His heart twisted painfully as he glanced to Kaoru, to break it he would have to hurt her again. He wasn't sure if he could do that, but if he didn't he would never set her free.

For the briefest of moments Kenshin hesitated then he steeled himself for the scream he knew would come and shot forward with god-like speed again. At the last minute he flipped the hilt of the katana in his hand so he was holding it like a dagger and brought it up to pierce Shishio straight through the heart. This had to do it, if it didn't she would be lost to him forever.

Watching his enemy come, Shishio simply grinned as the blade come up and knocking it away with his free arm then shoved the redhead back and dove at him driving his katana straight through his shoulder. With a vicious yank he ripped a gaping hole in the soft flesh. "That won't work, she's already tried."

Kenshin gritted his teeth and stumbled backwards gripping the wound in his shoulder. Bumping into the wall he leaned heavily against the support and stared at the floor fighting the wave of nausea that washed over him. With effort he slid his eyes off the floor and glared at the man grinning in front of him. How in the hell was he going to break the bond? There had to be a way.

Kaoru closed her eyes against the sight of Kenshin's blood exploding from the wound and clenched her fists tight enough to draw blood. She couldn't take anymore. Shishio was going to kill him, there was no doubt in her mind the bastard would do it. The absolute glee she felt filtering through the bond was pushing her perilously close to the edge. Lifting shaking hands, she clutched her head and fought to keep herself calm, she couldn't lose control now, she still needed to find the way to end this nightmare. She couldn't let Shishio win, she would _not_ let him kill Kenshin. She would rather die than allow him to die because of her.

Sliding her eyes back open, Kaoru felt her heart plunge to her feet as she watched Kenshin shoot towards Shishio again. She had to stop this _now_!

Fighting to keep a hold on the katana, Kenshin flew towards Shishio trying to ignore the numbness seeping down his arm. He had one last shot, if a strike to the heart wouldn't kill Shishio then maybe taking his head would.

A sudden surge of fear made Kaoru's breath catch painfully in her throat as she slid her eyes from Kenshin to Shishio. She could see it in Shishio's eyes, feel it sliding along the bond ...triumph. Shishio knew exactly what Kenshin was going to do and he was ready. "No...no...no...," she whispered shaking her head. There had to be away to stop him. She couldn't let Kenshin die. Crumbling under the strain she lost the battle to stay calm and the barrier cracked under the pressure; allowing small tendrils of power to push through the hole.

"_STOOOOP_!" Kaoru screamed, clutching her head with shaking hands.

Kenshin skidded to halt as the scream echoed around the room, the force behind it enough to make the hair on his arms stand on end. Swinging his head around he stared in shock as a subdued golden glow materialized around Kaoru, the illumination slowly growing brighter as he watched. All of a sudden the ground began to shiver and shake beneath his feet causing him to stumble back and fall to one knee. Sheathing the katana before it fell from his hand he continued to stare awestruck as the radiance surrounding Kaoru increased, the ground heaving more violently simultaneously. The realization that this was the reason Shishio wanted her struck him like a fist. This was the same power that had leveled the village so many years ago. But Kaoru was fighting it, he could feel determination emanating off her. She was trying to keep it from breaking loose with every last bit of willpower she had.

Fighting her own battle, Kaoru's eyes unfocused as she desperately tried to seal the crack. The power pushed more fiercely against the wall holding it back causing another larger crack to materialize just as she sealed the first. Quickly focusing on that one she was just about to attempt to repair it when she was suddenly locked in a tight grip, the invisible strings wrapping around her with frightening strength making it difficult to breath.

"Lock it down, sweet angel, or I won't be the one to kill him...you will."

Kaoru froze as icy fear turned her blood to ice. The truth of Shishio's words rang in her head, she could do it, she could kill Kenshin with nothing more than her mind if she lost control. Renewing the fight she sealed the crack and fought to calm herself down. A couple a moments later she finally managed to relax enough to calm the beast within and she sagged forward as Shishio released his hold, resting her forehead on the cool wood. Soundless tears spilled from her eyes as a deadening hopelessness seeped into her very bones, "Someone help me...please...I can't let him die."

As if in answer to her plea the floor suddenly fell out from underneath her as an almost deafening roar filled her ears. Seconds later it slammed back up and silence descended heavily causing a wave of disorientation to wash over her making her head spin. Shaking it off Kaoru slowly lifted her head and stared wide-eyed in disbelief at the sight before her. Kenshin and Shishio were gone. The now darkened room was empty except for the dancing shadows cast by the flickering light of the few candles lining the walls. She rubbed her eyes to see if the scene would change and shook her head when it remained the same.

Where could the two men have gone?

Slowly, the feeling of being stared at filtered into her subconscious making her skin crawl and Kaoru hesitantly turned her head to glance over her shoulder. Her heart stopped when her eyes clashed with the hard angry gaze of a regal looking man sitting stiffly in the middle of the dais. Shooting to her feet she stumbled off the dais and backed away from him; her heart pounding so hard she was sure he could hear it. After several hurried steps, she finally managed to stop her flight and stood stock still waiting for some kind of reaction to her presence. When none came she eyed him confused, why wasn't he noticing her appearance. The sense she didn't belong here was obvious and yet it didn't seem to faze him a bit. Tilting her head to the side she continued to watch and wait her nerves tightening a lit bit more with each passing second. Why wasn't he doing anything?

After what felt like an eternity of absolute silence it finally hit her, for some reason he couldn't see her he wasn't staring at her but through her. As if she was only a phantom in this place. A wave of relief washed through her causing a small nervous chuckle to escape her throat against her will. At least she didn't have to worry about being run through with the katana that rested at his hip. Rubbing her forehead she forcefully unknotted her nerves and glanced over her shoulder to see what it was that held his undivided attention. Her brow furrowed as she scanned the empty room behind her, there was nothing there but the closed shoji that lead out into the mansion, why would that warrant such a glare.

With a shrug Kaoru turned her attention back to the man on the dais and took the opportunity to take a closer look. There was something about him that seemed familiar, she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was but for some reason he reminded her of someone. His seated form stood almost as tall as her making her feel like a dwarf beside a giant. His raven black hair was pulled back into a low ponytail trailing down his back, and his face was a plane of chiseled angles so well defined they looked to be sculpted instead of real. He would've been a very handsome man if it wasn't for the steely set of his jaw and the hard angry look in his eyes. Gazing into those hard black eyes it dawned on her who this man reminded her of...Shishio.

The soft grating of the shoji sliding open behind her snapped her out of her perusal. Spinning around her heart stopped when her eyes came to rest on the carbon copy of herself stepping into the room. Shifting her attention back to the man her eyes wandered to the painting on the wall behind him...a painting of the woman who had just stepped into the room. Realization struck her with an almost physical blow, these two people were Aiko and Kisho, her and Makoto's ancestors.

Kaoru fell to her knees as the room began to spin, her stomach pitching along with it. Bracing herself she stared at the floor and took several slow even breaths to try to calm her racing heart. How could this be? How could she be in the past? What force could have brought her here? Why had they brought her here?

"Where is she?" Kisho suddenly growled from the dais, breaking through the questions swirling in her mind.

Shaking her head Kaoru sat back on her heels and wiped clammy sweat from her forehead as she watched Aiko walk sedately to the center of the room. A slow smile lit up her ancestor's face as she neared the dais.

"She is gone beyond your reach, you will never find her."

An unholy chuckle came from the dais freezing Kaoru's blood.

"Nothing is beyond my reach, she will be found and brought back to face her destiny, she will not escape me so easily."

The smile fell from Aiko's lips as she continued to stare at the man in front of her, shaking her head sadly she whispered, "You will never find her I will make sure of that." With a sigh Aiko shifted her eyes to the floor, "Why did it have to come to this, my mother warned me of what would happen but I didn't believe her. I never thought the gift I gave you would twist you into this greedy, hateful man." Raising her eyes again one tear traced a wet path down her cheek, "You are no longer the man that I fell in love with."

Kaoru winced as a needle of pain pierced her heart, the infinite sadness lacing her ancestor's voice touching something deep within. Gazing at Aiko she saw the truth etched into every line of her delicate features. Aiko had lost it all when she'd offered Kisho her blood, everything she'd ever cared about had died when Kisho had taken what she'd offered and used it against her, bringing her nothing but pain. Unconsciously she reached out a driving need to ease her ancestor's pain overcoming all else. Beginning to rise she stopped short and sank back to the floor fighting the tears that tried to break free. There was nothing she could do to help her ancestor, she was simply an observer to this painful conversation that had happened so long ago.

A maniacal laugh drifted into the room pulling Kaoru's attention away, glancing back to Kisho she cringed at the insane look that had come into his eyes. "I am still the same man I have always been, my wife, but now with your blood flowing through my veins I am invincible. There is nothing that can stop me from ripping down the Tokugawa bakufu now. Soon, very soon all of Japan will be mine and when Kaiya is found I will bind her to Mamoru. Then I will hold in my hand the power to take the world."

Aiko sag to the floor, silent tears glistening on her cheeks in the flickering light, "If that is true then what I am about to do will be so much easier." Reaching into her obi her ancestor withdraw a dagger and laid it across her lap folding her hands over the blade.

Kisho laughed derisively, "There is no way to kill me, you told me that yourself."

Wiping the wetness from her cheeks a sad smile formed on Aiko's lips, "There is one way and now that I know Kaiya is safe it's time for me to end this."

Kaoru sat stunned as a sudden surge of hope flared to life in her chest. Was this why she was here? Would she finally find the answer to save everyone she loved? But her hopes were dashed in the next instant as she watched Aiko position the tip over her heart. She shook her head as silent tears made wet paths down her cheeks. Impossible, she had already tried to kill herself and it hadn't worked. With a weary sigh, she hung her head and tried unsuccessfully to stem the flow of tears, there really was no way to break free from Shishio or save the ones she loved. Shishio would win, he would destroy everything she loved just as Kisho had done to Aiko.

Curling even more into herself Kaoru almost didn't notice the soft golden glow slowly begin to illuminate the room. Surprised, she snapped her head back up and watched in wonder as Aiko continued to brighten, her golden highlights gleaming in the soft light now wrapping around her. And then, out of the corner of her eye, Kaoru saw the same glow encircle Kisho.

A guttural growl tore through the room as he shot to his feet and began to move towards Aiko. "I will _not_ let you kill me bitch!"

A beautiful serene smile replaced the sad one as her ancestor gazed at the man she had once loved. "You have no choice, it ends now," she murmured so softly that Kaoru almost didn't hear, and then she thrust the blade deep into her chest. Kaoru flinched as Aiko's body spasmed before she collapsed into a heap on the polished floor, her blood beginning to pool beneath her in a growing crimson puddle. The golden glow faded slowly, dropping the room into semi darkness again.

A heartbeat later a heavy thud came from the dais and Kaoru tore her attention away from the horrific scene before her and swung her attention back to where she'd last seen Kisho. A gasp ripped from her throat when her eyes came to rest on her ancestor's unmoving body. Kisho lay on his side on the very edge of the dais, the hand clutching his chest doing nothing to stem the steadily growing pool of blood spreading out all around him; a look of pure hatred frozen forever on his handsome face.

He was dead, she knew without a doubt he was dead. This was it, this was the answer she'd been desperately searching for.

Her world suddenly went black as the floor fell out from beneath her again. A soft voice riddled with sadness filtered softly into her mind. _'Gomen, little one, that is the only way'._

In the next instant she was jolted back into her body and she felt a crushing numbness settle into her very bones as the full truth of what she'd just witnessed finally hit her. With effort she pushed herself up from the dais. Wiping the wetness from her cheeks with the back of her hand she hesitantly opened her eyes afraid of what she might find. A sigh escaped her lips when she saw Kenshin and Shishio in the exact same spot she'd last seen them. Kenshin was still kneeling on the floor his fiery red hair shadowing his features, a small puddle of blood forming at his side from the wound in his shoulder. Shishio stood across the room from him with a gleam in his eyes poised to attack with a triumphant grin plastered on his face. Shifting her eyes back to Kenshin her heart twisted painfully. She had found the answer but it was too late, she didn't have a weapon, there was no way she could stop Shishio.

Hanging her head she fought the hopelessness that threatened to swallow her. She had failed, she wouldn't be able to save the man she loved in time.

Out of the corner of her eye a piercing ray of sunlight caught her attention and she snapped her head back up in time to see Shishio shoot forward, his katana held low across his body for the killing blow. A sudden surge of hope spilled through Kaoru's veins as her eyes locked on the sundrenched blade... maybe there was a way to save Kenshin!

Without so much as another breath, Kaoru shot to her feet and hurtled off the dais. Throwing herself in front of Kenshin she threw her arms out to the side leaving her chest open for the blow that would hopefully take her life.

Shishio simply grinned and kept coming. "You cannot stop me from killing him, my dear, I will simply cut through you to get to him, you cannot die."

A serene peacefulness fell over Kaoru like a blanket as a small knowing smile came to her lips. Moments before the blade hit her she dropped the barrier and set the power free, a steadily brightening golden glow filling the room wrapping around them both. Her smile widened as Shishio's blood red eyes widened suddenly in horrified realization. She had won...he would die and Kenshin would live, there was no way he could stop it now.

Time slowed as she shifted her attention to the blade and watched it come up. Locking her knees to keep from falling she grimaced as the blade bit into her hip and carved a deep line up across her chest slicing clean through her heart and then everything went black.

Shishio snarled in fury as the blade dug deep into her body and sliced up through her chest. Excruciating pain tore a gasp from his throat as the wound split his flesh, mimicking hers. Trying unsuccessfully to wrench the blade away, his body spasmed when her heart split in two, his own splitting at the same time. By sheer force of will Shishio held onto consciousness for a few seconds longer and simply stared in awe at the woman before him. She had beaten him, somehow she had found the way to kill him and she hadn't hesitated at all in giving up her life to save the man she loved. Slipping slowly into the blackness that enfolded him he smiled, she had won but it had cost her dearly, she was going into death with him.

Behind them, Kenshin knelt in stunned silence as the scene played out before him in achingly slow motion he couldn't stop. Shielding his eyes against the intense light radiating off of Kaoru he reached out to yank her out of Shishio's way when all of a sudden her presence vanished from his subconscious. His hand stopped as an unbearable pain ripped through him at their separation, leaving a huge empty hole in his soul. Dropping his hand his breath caught painfully in his throat as he watched her begin to crumple to the floor, the scent of her blood filling the air. In stunned horror he reached out and caught her limp body before she hit the floor and pulled her against his chest, desperately searching for some sign of life. But there was nothing.

A crushing emptiness settled deep into his bones as he gently cradled her to him. Brushing the stray locks of soft hair from her face with a shaking finger he revealed the peaceful look on her face and the slight smile gracing her lips. He would never see her glowing smile again or the shifting colors of her beautiful sapphire eyes as they darkened or lightened changing with her emotions. Running his finger lightly across her soft skin he didn't notice the lone tear that dripped from his eyes to drop soundlessly to her cheek. The finality of it all swept over him and tore into his soul, shredding the last remnants of hope.

Kaoru was really gone.

Kenshin clutched her lifeless body tight to his chest and buried his face in her hair. Rocking back and forth he whispered, 'not again', over and over and over, the past and the present blending together into one horrible reality.


	14. Second Chances

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

Chapter 13 - Second Chances

_Kaoru_

The soft voice penetrated her mind like a whisper of breath playing across the infinite darkness, bringing a ray of light where only blackness prevailed.

_Kaoru_

Tugging at her the soft voice pulled her further out of the all encompassing blackness. The gentle scent of sakura blossoms filtered into her senses, the scent bringing back memories of older days when life had been simple and sweet. When the only concern she'd had was how she would be able to fit practice and shopping into one afternoon. Things had changed so much, she didn't want to come out of the darkness, here all her worries were gone leaving just an empty shell floating in the nothingness. She knew there was pain if she followed the voice and she didn't want any more pain, she couldn't take any more pain. She just wanted peace.

Ignoring the voice she sank back into the comforting darkness, falling into the emptiness that promised solace.

_Kaoru, you must wake!_

Against her will the gentle yet stern voice yanked her out of the nothingness and she suddenly felt a hard firm surface beneath her. Heavenly warmth flooded through her body, causing a sigh of relief to whisper from between her lips. It was so warm. Now that she was here she realized the darkness had been icy cold, numbing her from the inside out. Glorious heat continued to race through her veins, bringing life back to where it had disappeared just moments before making her limbs tingle with happiness.

"Come, little one, it's time to wake."

Obeying the gentle voice this time, Kaoru took a deep breath and instantly sneezed as the rich scent of earth and growing grass permeated her nose. Sneezing again she slowly opened one eye in hopes of finding the owner of the voice. Blinding sunlight pierced into her numb mind and she groaned as she flung her hand up to block it out and snapped the eye back closed, little pinpricks of light now dancing merrily behind her lid. After a moment she signed again and rubbed the watering eye before she pushed herself off the ground and settled blindly into a kneeling position. Shading her eyes against the glare she hesitantly opened them again and gasped when she saw the beautiful woman standing just a few feet away from her. The gentle breeze eddying through the air set her golden locks to dancing across her almost angelic features.

The woman smiled as she tucked the wayward locks behind her ear but the smile did nothing to erase the sadness that lingered in the depths of her sapphire eyes. "Welcome little one, I had hoped we wouldn't meet so soon but fate has taken the choice out of our hands."

Kaoru continued to stare at the woman, her numb mind barely registering the softly spoken words as she tried to pin down the spark of recognition that danced just beyond her reach. She knew this woman somehow, there was something familiar about her that she couldn't quite put her finger on but it was there nagging just at the edge of her memory. With an inward shrug she tore her eyes from the ethereal being and glanced around confused, "Who are you?...Where am I?"

The light whispering of cloth against grass pulled her attention back to the woman before her. She was slightly shocked to find that the woman had moved closer and had settled into a kneeling position right in front of her. "I am the reason you have suffered so, little one, my selfishness has caused you and my descendants more pain than I can ever atone for and for that I am truly sorry."

Kaoru watched as one lone tear traced a wet path down the woman's ivory cheek, the sapphire eyes so much like hers were darkened by a sadness. Remorse so deep she couldn't fully comprehend the amount of pain that would leave such a mark. It was then looking into those eyes, hearing the sadness lacing the voice she had, up until now, only heard in her mind that she realized who she sat before.

"Akiko."

The woman nodded and Kaoru closed her eyes as a sharp pain gripped her heart and squeezed, "Then I really am dead."

Wilting at the truth Kaoru dropped her head and fought the tears trying to break free as a wave of emptiness washed over her, threatening to devour her whole. But if she was dead then that meant Kenshin was alive and that's all that really mattered right? She had won, she had saved him. But why did it hurt so much? Why did it feel like she had lost half of her soul?

A soft smile touched Akiko's lips and she reached out a hand to try to smooth away the look of pain that crossed her descendant's features. She had never wanted to cause one such as her the agony she had but at least this time she would have the chance to correct the mistake she had made so long ago. Gently lifting Kaoru's chin she lightly brushed away the tears, "All is not yet lost, little one, you still have a choice to make."

"A choice?" Kaoru bit out angrily, "What choice is there to make. I'm dead. I can never see him again!" A sob threatened to strangle her at the truth. "I can never see any of them again, I have lost everything just as Aiko did!"

Pulling her face from Akiko's hand Kaoru curled into herself and rested her head against the soft grass. Kami, she wished there really was a choice but it had already been made and there was no way to undo it even if she wanted to. She had saved them all and that's all that really mattered in the end. She would have to endure the pain and wait, maybe she would get a chance to see him again someday.

A soft sigh spilled into the quiet. "There is a choice little one," Akiko murmured as she gently ran her fingers lovingly through Kaoru's gold kissed locks. "You sacrificed yourself for him and because of that you have been given a second chance if you choose to take it."

Stomping down the tiny flower of hope that tried to blossom, Kaoru sat back up and simply stared at her ancestor confused, "What do you mean a second chance?"

Akiko smiled. "The bond was formed against your will, you did not give yourself freely to that man and when you chose to die to save the man you love the decision was made to allow you a second chance."

Kaoru tilted her head as a tiny flame of hope began to burn again, "But...but how? How can I have a second chance? I'm dead, there is no way to go back."

"You are my descendant little one and that gives you a means to return to the world you left behind."

Akiko reached out and gently tucked the raven strands dancing across Kaoru's cautiously hopeful features behind her ear.

"When I was cast out they took everything from me, everything but my blood. They couldn't take that though sometimes I wish they had. It's that blood that has caused you so much agony but that same blood can give you back your life all you have to do is want to return."

The tiny flame of hope burst into a full blown inferno and Kaoru finally started to believe it just might be possible. If what her ancestor said was true then she really could go back, she would be able to see Kenshin again, she would have the chance to live her life with the man she loved. Suddenly the image of Shishio's laughing black eyes danced through her memory dousing her hope with a wave of icy cold fear. If she went back then Shishio would return too, she couldn't do that to the one's she loved, she couldn't take that nightmare again.

"Do you not wish to go back, little one?" Akiko asked in concern.

Kaoru shook her head and wiped away the single tear that began a slow wet track down her cheek, "I want to, I really do but I can't go back. If I do then Shishio will too and it will start all over again, I can't do that again."

Akiko sighed in relief and smiled. "He cannot return, little one, when your heart ceased to beat the blood he stole from you died within him. The bond is broken, there is no way for him to return."

Kaoru dropped her eyes to her clenched fists and shook her head again, "It doesn't matter if not him then someone else will do what he did and I can't risk that, I love them too much. I will not be the cause of theirs or anyone's death."

Akiko reached out and lifted Kaoru's chin forcing the young woman to look at her. "You will be the cause of no one's death, little one. If you choose to go back the curse that has hung over my line for centuries will cease to exist within you. With you I finally have the chance to correct the mistake I made so long ago."

For a long moment Kaoru simply stared at Akiko trying to force her mind to accept what her ancestor was saying. The small flame of hope ignited again as she realized that there just might be a way but she had to know for sure.

"Then there really is a way for me to go back?" Kaoru asked, unable to keep the longing out of her voice. "And I'll be free of the power?"

"Yes," Akiko replied with a wide smile, "There really is a way for you to return and you will be free."

Akiko laughed as Kaoru flung herself at her, wrapping her in a tight hug. A moment later her ancestor gently extricated herself.

"Come, little one," Akiko said as she genly extricated herself. "It is time for you to return. Your guardian waits for you."

Kaoru froze as a tiny knot of fear curled in her stomach. "Kenshin really was my guardian wasn't he, but if I'm free he won't need to protect me any more will he? He could...he could..." She trailed off not even able to put voice to the words. An unbearable pain ripped through her leaving her feeling empty and alone at the thought of him leaving.

"Yes, he is your guardian," Akiko replied, "but I do not think he will leave you. You are special to him even without my blood and he knows that." Cupping Kaoru's cheek she smiled, "He needs you just as much as you need him, you both need to love and be loved, you two have found that in each other and I think he knows that too."

Kaoru simply nodded, she knew he loved her but would it be enough to keep him by her side? She could only hope that it was but the only way to truly know was to go back and see. If he decided to leave her she would survive, she had made it on her own before and she could do it again if she had to. She wanted to live even if she was alone.

"So how do I go back?" She asked unable to contain the excitement bubbling just beneath the surface.

Akiko chuckled. "First I have to heal your body and then when I have completed that you simply have to envision the power within you and push, as you push the power will drag you back into your body as it leaves. When the shift is complete you will be alive again and free from the curse that has caused you so much pain."

"That's all," Kaoru asked tilting her head, it seemed too good to be true. "It's that simple?"

"Yes, little one. Are you ready?"

Kaoru nodded enthusiastically, the excitement building to an almost unbearable height. Soon she would be able to see them all again.

Akiko smiled. "Give me your hands and when I say 'now' envision the power and push and when you wake again you will be back where you belong."

Grasping the outstretched hands with her shaking ones Kaoru waited as Akiko closed her eyes, a look of extreme concentration tightening her ancestor's features. She jumped when Akiko's eyes shot back open.

"Now!"

Kaoru immediately closed her eyes and envisioned the power. Gripping the pulsing entity tightly she squeezed Akiko's hands in farewell and pushed with all of her being.

Akiko smiled as she watched Kaoru's form shimmer and vanish. At last the future of her line would be able to live without the shadow she had laid on them so long ago. Their world would finally be set right. Smoothly rising to her feet she took once last look at the crushed grass where Kaoru had sat and turned to greet the smiling man behind her. A couple of steps settled her into his waiting arms and she hugged him close, "She's a very special young woman isn't she?"

The man chuckled and hugged her even closer, "Yes, she is, but she is one of ours after all. Her guardian is a very lucky man."

Akiko sighed in contentment and nodded, "That he is, koishii, that he is."

_**oooooooooooooooooo**_

Saitou flicked his wrist to rid his katana of the blood droplets clinging to its surface and leaned down to finish the job on the gi of the dead man lying at his feet. With a smirk he grabbed a fist full of material and finished wiping the blood from the blade. This one hadn't been a challenge at all, it had been like killing a child, he almost felt guilty for killing someone so inexperienced ... almost. This so called assassin had turned him into a watchdog and for that and that alone he had deserved to die.

Regaining his feet he sheathed his blade and wiped at the blood dripping from his jaw. The shallow cut on his cheek was the only hit the spineless murderer had managed to get on him and that had only been a lucky shot when the ground had started to shake and heave beneath their feet. It seemed Kamiya truly did hold the same power within her as Aiko had. Unfortunately because of that he would have to kill her when he finished with Battousai, he couldn't allow such a threat to remain alive.

With an inward shrug he cast one last glance at the dead man at his feet and turned on his heel to make his way into the compound. A frown slowly grew on his lips as he made his way silently down the deserted hallways. He couldn't feel Battousai's homicidal ki anymore. Had Shishio actually managed to kill his predecessor? Quickening his steps he silently wended his way through the halls of the manse searching for some sign of life, but to his surprise he could feel nothing. A moment later he finally came to an open shoji and stepped into the room only to be stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes widening at the sight before him. He didn't know exactly what he'd expected to find but this was most definitely not it.

Shishio was dead of that he was sure, the hitokiri laid in a pool of his own blood the nasty gash cut across his chest still seeping blood into the wide crimson puddle darkening the hard wood floor. But that wasn't what shocked him, it was the sight of the former Hitokiri Battousai kneeling on the floor cradling the lifeless body of the woman he'd come to save. It seemed Battousai had failed again and this time it looked like it had sent him over the edge. If it wasn't for the steady rocking he could have sworn the redheaded assassin was dead himself, he could feel nothing coming from the small man, nothing at all.

A small twinge of anger blossomed in his chest, snorting in disgust he spun on his heel and prepared to leave. To battle Battousai now would be pointless; it would be like killing a child. Stepping through the door he stopped dead again when the room behind him suddenly filled with an unearthly light, the golden glow spilling into the hallway.

Surprised, Saitou spun back around and simply gaped at the sight unfolding before him.

_**oooooooooooooooooo**_

Oblivious to everything around him but the steadily cooling body in his arms, Kenshin continued to rock back and forth, the constant motion soothing the turmoil ripping his soul apart. He couldn't summon the energy to do anything but hold her, he didn't want to let her go, if he did that would sever the last tie with her. He wasn't ready to deal with that yet, the very thought turned his stomach, sapping what little energy he still had left. Why had this happened? Why was she dead and not him? If anyone should have died it should have been him not the innocent woman in his arms. She had too much life flowing through her small body to have it snuffed out so soon. What force had decided he was worthy to live and not her?

Locked in an endless spiral of self-hate Kenshin didn't immediately notice the soft golden glow beginning to fill the room. Slowly as if in a dream he began to feel warmth seep into the body he was holding, the sensation suddenly flooding into him heating him from the inside out. Surprised, he snapped his head up and stared in disbelief at Kaoru's body, the glow wrapping around her almost too bright to look at. The heat continued to steadily rise as the glow intensified and he closed his eyes against the piercing light. A moment later the skin of his damaged chest and shoulder began to tighten and itch, he instinctively reached up to soothe the irritation and was shocked to feel smooth skin under his fingertips.

And then the warmth suddenly vanished.

Hesitantly Kenshin slid his eyes back open and stared at the woman clasped in his arm hoping to see some semblance of life. His heart fell when he saw her eyes still closed, her chest healed but unmoving, not a whisper of breath passing through her pale lips. The crushing emptiness returned tenfold and he clutched her to his chest the pain of losing her again almost too much to bear. A heartbeat later he was caught off guard again when he suddenly felt something trying to pull her out of his grasp. Surprise and confused, he held on fighting against whatever was trying to take her away from him. When the pull became too much, Kenshin finally released his hold and was stunned to see Kaoru's body immediately rise into the air to float just out of his reach.

And then she began to glow again.

The intense golden glow grew and solidified around her slowly pushing out of her back until a perfect golden silhouette of her shape pulled away hovering just behind her. All of a sudden a pair of wings unfurled from the silhouette, wrapping Kaoru in a loving embrace before folding out to span the entire room. Moments later Kaoru's eyes shot open and her body shuddered as she took a great gasp of air. At the exact same moment she drew breath the silhouette exploded into a thousand tiny dots of light, the golden essence raining down softly on all in the room like a shower of falling stars warming everything it touched.

And then she slowly began to fall.

Kenshin instantly shot to his feet and caught her limp body before she could hit the floor and cradled her gently in his arms. Falling to his knees again he held her tight to his chest and reveled in the feel of her chest moving against his, the sensation setting his heart to pounding a furious rhythm. Could she be?...was she really?

Slowly releasing his hold on her he glanced to her pale face and saw her eyes closed once again. He lifted a hand and hesitantly traced her cheek with a shaking finger, the soft flesh warm and alive beneath his touch. He smiled as he felt a soft sigh escape her lips, leaning down he whispered, "Kaoru..."

Kaoru snapped her eyes open at the familiar voice and she blinked several times to bring the room into focus as she searched for and finally found the hope filled violet eyes of the man she thought she would never see again. A huge grin split her face and she flung her arms around his neck, hugging him for all she was worth as tears of joy streamed down her face. It had worked, it had really worked, she was back...but was she free? Dropping her eyes closed for a moment she sought the power and found nothing. There was no barrier and there was no power. It was truly gone, she was finally free of the beast. A surge of relief flooded through her and she hugged Kenshin tighter, a giddy happiness making her head spin.

A light chuckle spilled from Kenshin's lips as he wrapped his arms around her, enfolding her close. He didn't know how she could be here but he wasn't about to question such a gift, all he needed to know was that she was here in his arms alive and well and he wasn't about to let her go again.

Several glee filled moments later Kaoru finally began to notice the feel of rough textured cloth against the bare skin of her chest. Confused she tried to figure out how that could be and then it suddenly dawned on her...Shishio had cut her chest open but to reach her flesh he'd had to go through her obi and her kimono. Instant color blazed to life on her cheeks and with a strangled cry she ripped out of Kenshin's arms and backed away clutching the shorn clothing together trying to hold on to what modesty she had left.

Seeing an amused smirk play across Kenshin's lips her embarrassment quickly burned away under an intense anger, "You...you hentai!"

A soft laugh was her only answer as he continued to stare at her, the smirk vanishing under a full-fledged smile. Ignoring the increase in her heartbeat his intense regard was causing she jumped to her feet and spun on her heel, stalking towards the door. But she'd only made it a handful of steps when her toes bumped into Shishio's leg. Stopped dead Kaoru let her eyes wander up his body until they landed on his very pale, very dead face. She couldn't contain the small smile that touch her lips...she was finally free, he would never touch her again.

With a slight spring in her step she stepped over his prone form and headed to the door only to be stopped in her tracks again. Saitou stood in the doorway blocking her exit with a strange look on his face his hand gripping the hilt of his katana. Moving closer she waited for him to either say what he had to say or move so she could get some decent clothes to replace the kimono currently leaving her upper attributes open for perusal. The dried blood had stiffened the cloth making it hard for her to hold the pieces together.

She started to fidget slightly under his stony gaze as his eyes wandered over her from head to toe and then he finally spoke, "Well?"

Surprised by his tone Kaoru met his eyes and tilted her head trying to figure out what he was asking and then it hit her. With a smile she dipped her head and murmured, "It's gone."

A long moment passed before her self appointed guardian nodded once and finally stepped out of her way. Slipping past him she hurried down the hallway towards her room. All she wanted to do right now was change and go home. A moment later she crossed the threshold into the beautifully appointed room that had once been her ancestor's and a bittersweet smile came to her lips. She still couldn't quite believe it was all over, she had suffered the same fate as Aiko had but for some reason those who ruled the afterlife had found her worthy of a second chance. She wasn't sure if she actually deserved it but she wasn't going to let it go to waste.

Her smile widened slightly and she quickly stripped out of the ruined kimono then hunted up her hakama and gi and gratefully slipped them on. They had seen better days but she just couldn't stand the thought of wearing something _he_ had bought for her. She would carry nothing away from this nightmare but her memories and those she would try to bury in the farthest reaches of her mind.

With a far lighter step Kaoru slipped back into the hallway and without a backward glance headed back to the audience hall. It was time to go home.

Watching as Kaoru fled past Saitou into the mansion, Kenshin couldn't help the smile that touched his lips. For some reason he'd been given a second chance, he didn't know if he deserved it or not but he wasn't about to waste it. He was going to grab ahold of Kaoru and never let go, although it looked like he was going to have to convince her that she really was his, and that was going to be very pleasurable. His smile widened slightly as he rose and collected his sakabatou. With practiced ease he sheathed the blade and headed towards the door to wait for Kaoru to return. He stopped when his eyes fell on his Saitou who still stood to the side of the door.

Eyeing the tall man warily Kenshin settled into a defensive stance and looked at his nemesis with an invitation in his eyes.

Saitou stared at him for a long moment as if he was gauging something and then he snorted derisively and spun on his heel. Vanishing out the door the cop's heavy booted steps slowly faded away as his former enemy made his way out of the mansion.

Kenshin simply shrugged and followed in the tall man's footsteps. Stepping into the hallway he stopped and cast one last glance into the room; the sight of the angel hovering just behind his beloved dancing once more before his eyes. With a smile he turned at the sound of light footsteps coming his way and gazed at the woman who held his heart as she walked down the hallway towards him. She really was special...she didn't know it yet but she was his angel and she always would be.


	15. Epilogue New Beginnings

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

Epilogue - New Beginnings

Kaoru sighed softly as she scanned the table, the carefree banter filling the room a welcome sound after all that had happened. They were all here, all the people she loved most, Aoshi, Misao, Sano and Megumi all sat to her right, Dr. Genzai, Yahiko and the girls sat to her left and Kenshin sat directly across from her, even Tae and Tsubame had come the two women squishing in amongst the rest. A small sad smile came to her lips as she scanned each of their faces, she had come so close to never seeing any of them again but even here amidst their teasing and joking she felt so far away from them. She'd only been gone for three days, three days that felt like a lifetime. She was no longer the naive girl they all knew; she had seen too much to retain that blind innocence. Shishio had stolen more than her blood, he had taught her how to hate and he had also shown her just how cruel the world could be.

Swallowing another sigh, Kaoru dropped her attention back to the delicious meal Megumi had cooked and half-heartedly pushed the food around the bowl trying to fight down the loneliness that seemed to be her new best friend. She knew it was wrong to feel this way but there was no way to stop it, she felt so alone. It was her own fault really, she'd made Kenshin promise not to tell anyone what had happened and there was still a lot even he didn't know and she had already decided she would never tell him, she wouldn't tell any of them, it would be better to just let the memories fade.

"Kaoru...are you ok?"

A hush fell over the room as Kaoru lifted her eyes and met Misao's gaze. Digging up the best smile she could she nodded, "Hai, just a little tired."

Misao gave her a skeptical look, "Are you sure, you've been real quiet tonight," pausing she eyed Kaoru more closely and saw something in her friend's eyes that she hadn't seen before, a shadow that shouldn't have been there. A spark of anger lit deep in her gut at the mere thought of someone hurting her. Pinning Kaoru with a piercing blue gaze she asked "Did he hurt you Kaoru?"

Startled Kaoru simply stared at her best friend. How was she going to answer that? If she told them what happened or what she was they would just think she was a freak, she couldn't handle losing them completely.

"Kaoru has had a long three days," Kenshin spoke up suddenly, "maybe we should let her go to bed, she's only been home for a couple of hours."

Relieved, Kaoru threw a grateful smile and a silent heartfelt thank you to Kenshin and rose from the table, "I think I will go to bed." Smiling faintly she let her eyes drift to each of them before she spoke again, "Thank you all for being here when I came home, it really means a lot to me. I'll see you all tomorrow."

Slipping silently from the room Kaoru didn't see the concerned looks pass around the table or the intense violet gaze locked on her retreating form.

Kenshin watched her until she was out of sight before he shifted his gaze to those sitting around the table, "Leave her to me, I promise she will be alright."

"Are you sure? She won't talk about it." Misao pressed clearly worried. Kaoru hadn't said anything about her time with Shishio and now she was sure that that monster had harmed her friend in some way, if not physically then mentally and emotionally.

Megumi eyed him suspiciously when he remained silent. "What really happened Kenshin?"

Kenshin stifled a sigh and met Megumi's concerned gaze. "She's asked me not to talk about it and I don't know the whole story, she hasn't told me either." Letting his eyes wander the table he added, "Right now she doesn't feel like herself and she's pushing me away afraid that I'm going to leave her, the first thing I need to do is prove to her that I'm not going anywhere and then I'm going to show her that she is still the same Kaoru we all love."

"So you have chosen to set aside your wandering and remain here with Kamiya-san?" Aoshi asked quietly surprising everyone.

A small smirk curled the edge of Kenshin's lips as he met the Okashira's gaze, "Yes. She's mine...there's no way I'm going to let her go."

Sano chuckled then hissed in pain as his stitches pulled. "Jou-chan isn't going to know what hit her is she?"

Kenshin smiled then chuckled himself, "No, she isn't."

_**oooooooooooooooooo**_

Kaoru padded swiftly down the hallway and slipped silently into her room, closing out the murmurs she could just barely hear coming from the dojo where they had been dining. She sighed softly as she slid the door closed behind her and took in at the shadowed yet familiar surroundings. It really did feel good to be home. Lighting the candle resting on her desk she quickly shed the ruined hakama and gi and donned a yukata, before loosening her hair. She smiled as she finger combed her hair. She hadn't had time to do _anything_ when she'd first gotten home. Almost as soon as she'd stepped through the door she'd been engulfed in a bone crushing hug from Misao then had been passed around to all the rest who had been anxiously waiting, even Aoshi had clasped her in his arms for a brief moment which had about knocked her over. From then on things had gone crazy, everything had happened so fast that before she knew it she was sitting at the table eating without so much as changing her clothes.

Relishing the peacefulness she hadn't had since she'd been kidnapped she settled down at the desk and glanced out the window to watch the moonlit clouds skitter across the sky. On the way home she'd started to put a small measure of distance between her and Kenshin too. She winced as her chest tightened, she had already decided she wouldn't hold him here against his will. There was no reason for him to be her guardian anymore and she wanted him to know that he was free to wander again if that's what he chose. He had enough problems without her adding more. She had noticed though that ever since leaving the mansion he no longer tacked the honorific onto her name or called himself unworthy, it was almost as if he had found himself and she was glad for that. Maybe he would finally find the happiness he deserved even if it wasn't with her.

With a sigh she ignored the loneliness those thoughts provoked and shifted her eyes from the sky to the small wooden box still sitting on her desk. Trailing her fingers along its smooth surface she smiled sadly, she no longer needed the answers within but she was still curious to know what was inside. Nimbly unclasping the chain that still hung around her neck she unlocked the box and slowly lifted the lid.

Tucked inside were two yellowed scrolls, both looking so old and fragile she was sure they would fall apart if she so much as breathed on them. Lightly trailing a finger along the top most scroll her curiosity finally got the best of her and she gently lifted it out. A quick tug loosened the ribbon holding it closed and she unrolled it being very careful not to tug on the fragile parchment. Laying it flat on the table she scanned the flowing script slowly deciphering the faded kanji. Her eyes misted over as she read what must have been the last words her ancestor Aiko had ever said to her daughter, the worry and love written on the page almost too much to bear. With the back of her hand she wiped away the single tear that escaped her eye and rolled the scroll back up then set it aside. She shouldn't have read that. That had been something private between a mother and her beloved daughter it hadn't been meant for just anyone eyes.

Shifting her attention back into the box she hesitantly lifted out the second scroll unsure now if she should read it or not. Her eyes widened when she saw a lone white feather resting in the bottom of the box beneath the second scroll. Carefully lifting it out she studied it closely in the flickering light and noticed that the feather was not pure white but white tapering into gold at the tips. A small smile came to her lips, so she really was the descendant of a fallen angel, she hadn't really believed even when she'd met Akiko but now with the proof right here in her fingers there was no way she could deny it any longer. She really was an angel...or at least she had been, but now she was just like everyone else a simple human trying to make it in this dark world.

Setting the feather aside she gave into her curiosity again and unraveled and read the second scroll, finding within the answers she had been desperately searching for while she'd been captive. Here it was, the truth of what she was written by the one who had given birth to the line of women just like her. Akiko had left a detailed description of what they were and how to control it; it even said how to kill if someone tried to steal their blood. It was all here, everything that could have saved her from the nightmare she'd been put through. A small spark of anger lit in her gut but faded almost as quickly as it had come, it was true she had suffered but because of her sacrifice all the rest that would come after her would no longer have to worry about the same fate befalling them. With her it was finally over.

With a smile she rolled the scroll and gently laid them both along with the feather back in the box. Picking up the key she laid it on top of the scrolls and closed the lid, locking the box once again against prying fingers. Her family no longer needed the words her ancestors had written they had finally been set free.

Smoothly rising from the desk she placed the box at the bottom of her clothing chest, hiding it among the many kimonos she hardly ever wore. She stiffened as a light scraping sound drifted to her ears from the open window. Silently closing the chest she tiptoed to the window and hesitantly looked out half afraid of what she might find. She shivered as cool blast of wind blew in heavily laced with the scent of rain, leaning a little closer she looked down and saw red hair glinting in the candlelight filtering through the window. "Kenshin, what are you doing?"

She saw his head move slightly as he repositioned himself and then he finally spoke, "Sleeping."

Kaoru's brow furrowed, "Out there?...Why?"

"Because I will not fail to protect you again."

Kaoru growled in irritation and glared at his bowed head. "Kenshin, you didn't fail to protect me. I already told you that it was out of our control, now please at least sleep inside it's going to rain and I don't want you to get sick."

She was somewhat surprised to see him nod and rise. "All right."

Watching as he made his way back down the porch she closed the window when she lost sight of him and turned to settle down into bed. The soft grating of her shoji being opened stopped her mid kneel and she watched horrified as Kenshin stepped into her room and closed the door behind him. With a great burst of speed Kaoru dove for the blankets and wrapped herself up tight, "_What do you think you're doing?_!"

Kenshin smirked. "Sleeping inside so I won't get sick". Ignoring her horrified expression he walked across the room and settled down underneath the window. With one last piercing gaze he settled in and promptly closed his eyes to let her know without words that there would be no arguments, he was staying.

Kaoru let out an exasperated sigh, this man was going to drive her insane. Scooting over the best she could she blew out the candle then buried herself deep in the blankets. How exactly was she supposed to get to sleep now with him just a couple of feet away? Didn't he know what kind of effect his presence had on her? She scowled. Obviously not or he wouldn't be in here with her...damn it. Heaving another sigh she forced her mind to forget the man currently sitting under her window and focused on trying to get to sleep, something she sorely needed.

Kenshin watched as Kaoru shift around until she got comfortable and listened as her breathing leveled out a couple of minutes later. She must have been more tired than he'd thought, he'd expected a bit more of a fight. Shrugging to himself he smiled, it was probably a good thing she didn't fight because she wouldn't have won anyway, he wasn't going to leave her alone. Ever since leaving the mansion she'd done everything she could to put distance between them and he wasn't going to allow that, tonight he was going to start closing that gulf and he would continue until she realized that he wasn't going anywhere.

Resting his head back against the wall he let the sound of her breathing sooth him into a light doze. He had come so close to never hearing that sound again... closer than he ever wanted to again. From now on he was going to do everything he could to make sure that sound was one he would hear every night before he went to sleep and every morning when he woke. Smiling slightly he drifted further into sleep with one last thought playing in his mind...she was his she just didn't know it yet.

_oooooooooooooooooo_

In the early hours of the morning Kenshin was roused from his slumber as a soft whimpering sound penetrated his sleep hazed mind. Confused he opened his eyes and scanned the room. Unable to see anything in the pitch black he slowly moved from under the window and felt his way over to the desk, finding the candle he lit it and immediately saw the source of the whimpering.

Kaoru lay twitching beneath the blankets, her hands pushing against something he couldn't see. Moving closer he noticed the dampness wetting her cheeks and the look of utter fear marring her tear streaked face, murmuring her name he reached out and shook her shoulder trying to knock her out of the nightmare.

When all she did was whimper again he shook her harder, "Kaoru wake up!"

All of a sudden she began to thrash and push against him her whimpers turning into softly spoken words that hit him square in the gut. "Not again, I can't take it again."

Shaking her again he watched helplessly as more tears spilled from her tightly closed lids, the fear and pain etched into her normally smiling features cutting through his soul. Still locked in the nightmare she pushed against him one last time and fell back almost as if she'd given up fighting whatever was trying to hurt her. With tears still trailing down her cheeks she curled into a ball and whispered dejectedly, "Not again, please."

A surge of anger flared to life in Kenshin's gut. That was it, that was all he could take. Standing he stripped out of his gi and loosened his hair before blowing out the candle and slipped under the blankets beside Kaoru. Gathering her in his arms he tucked her head beneath his chin just over his heart and wrapped his arms tight around her. He would protect her even if he had to protect her from herself. Softly trailing his fingers through her hair he felt her finally settle against him, the tenseness that had hardened her limbs moments before melting away under his gentle ministrations. He smiled when he felt a soft sigh play across his chest as her arm snaked around his middle to cuddle him closer.

Settling her into a more comfortable position Kenshin shifted his eyes to the darkened ceiling and fought down the urge to kill something. What he really wanted to do was carve Shishio up into very small pieces for what he'd done to Kaoru but now he would never get the chance. That right had been stolen by the woman snuggled in his arms. Running his fingers through her hair again he pulled her close, she had died to kill Shishio, he would never let that happen again.

Her turned his nose into her hair and inhaled deeply, letting the scent of jasmine calm the killer within before he closed his eyes and started drifting off to sleep again with a soft smile on his face. Everything was finally as it should be.

_**oooooooooooooooooo**_

Kaoru woke slowly, a steady thumping in her ear pulling her further out of the comforting darkness. Shifting slightly she mumbled "Go away Yahiko."

When the thumping persisted she shifted again. Drawing the blanket up over her head she snuggled into the futon a little bit more in hopes of drowning out the sound but found she couldn't penetrate it an inch. Confused she attempted to burrow again and was once again met with resistance it. And then it slowly began to pierce her sleep hazed mind that something wasn't right. Her futon had never been this firm or warm before and it sure as hell had never moved up and down. Tugging the blanket off her head she inched her eyes open and gasped softly. Before her lay the flat expanse of a well muscled, battle scarred chest. Slowly lifting her head she let her eyes wander up the warm flesh until they met the smiling violet eyes of the man currently acting as her pillow.

Shocked she immediately tried to sit up but was stopped by two very strong arms.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Kaoru simply stared at the redhead as her heart hammered against her ribs. Narrowing her eyes she gazed at him suspiciously, "What are you doing in my bed?"

Kenshin smirked, "Protecting what is mine, even from her nightmares."

Instant color blazed to life on her cheeks, ducking her head to hide the evidence of her embarrassment she tried to pull out of his arms again. When all she got for her effort was a tightening of his grip she sighed and rested her forehead on his chest, "You don't have to protect me anymore Kenshin, I'll be ok on my own."

All of a sudden Kenshin locked her in his arms and in one fluid motion flipped them both over, successfully pinning her against the futon. Leaning in until his nose almost brushed hers he murmured, "I know I don't _have _to protect you... I want to." And then much to Kaoru's surprise he leaned in further and brushed his lips lightly against hers. Stunned she watched with widened eyes as he pulled back and smiled, "You are mine Kaoru and I'm not going to let you go, you're stuck with me whether you like it or not."

Kaoru could only stare at him, "But..."

Kenshin shook his head and gently placed a finger against her lips to stop her. "There are no buts Kaoru, I love you, I'm sorry it took me so long to figure it out."

Before she could say any more Kenshin leaned down and capture her lips in a gentle kiss. He inwardly smiled when she hesitantly began kissing him back, taking that as acceptance he trailed his tongue along her bottom lip asking for entrance. She gasped softly at the touch and he took advantage of the opening, delving in to taste all he could reach. He shivered when she reacted in kind, the soft moan that suddenly bubbled up from deep within her forced him to break the kiss to keep from giving in to the feelings she'd sent rushing through his body. Now was not the time to pursue the desire raging through his veins...at least not yet.

With a sigh, he rolled off her and gathered her in his arms hugging her close, "Don't ever think you can push me away again, I'm right where I want to be and nothing is going to change that...ever."

Kaoru's eyes misted over as the realization that he really did want to be with her finally soaked into her stubborn mind. Snuggling closer to him she let his body heat chase away the chill still lingering in her bones, sniffling she smiled, "I won't, I promise."

"Good, now go back to sleep I'm sure you're still tired."

Nodding she wrapped her arm around him and pulled him closer, she smiled as he leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head. With the steady beat of his heart thumping in her ear she sighed and snuggled in just a little bit more, the calming sound lulling her into a dreamless sleep. One last thought followed her into the comforting darkness as she drifted off again.

This was exactly where she wanted to be too.

The End

Thanks for reading! :o)


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